Naruto: Tales of the Anigeka clan
by Anku9321
Summary: A new world? A new place? Just what is all of this? Naruto and the gang stumble upon a mystical clan that has been lost for centuries. No one has been able to figure out just what the Anigekas are. But are they the real deal or just some cheap imatation?
1. Incomplete

A/N: Ok i know there's tons more stuff i should work on but one of my friends requested that i put up this story lol i know it may not be the best but I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts/advice! Basically this is just a Naruto//:Myside story (which means I write the story/create a story from an anime series through MY POV). So yea lol hope you guys like it! ^^

DISCLAIMER: IN NO WAY SHAPE, OR FORM COULD I EVER OWN ANYTHING AS AWESOME AS NARUTO (I only wish I did XD). I just own any character I create is all :)

Ok so before I start this off I just wanted to give a really brief recap of what's going on (cuz i don't want you guys to be like wtf is happening??). So basically I ended up in Naruto's world and I have amnesia. I don't know anything at all. So Haku (from the mist village) comes along and finds me and helps me.

Ok so onto the story hope you guys like it! ^^

**Stage One: _Incomplete_**

'_**Memories are like far off dreams, scattered and then hidden in the depths of our minds. Finding the pieces that fit together. Will it ever be possible? Thoughts cross each and every one of our minds each day. Who really knows what, or who is real or fake anymore in this life. . .'** _

_- - -_

I awoke with a start. I shot up into a sitting position. I cringed with pain. My head was spinning faster than I remembered. I held my head. Things slowed down and returned to normal. I sighed with relief. I was soon in pain once more. I automatically clutched my chest. I felt something moving. I quickly drew my hand back and looked at it. I placed my hand back on my chest. I felt the moving once more. This intrigued me. I looked down but I did not my chest moving.  
_  
'What is this?'_ I asked myself. I sat there in thought for a while and I couldn't figure out what was in my chest. I began to think some more. I looked around, observing. _'What is this place....'_ I began to ask myself. I panicked when I didn't know the answer. More thoughts crossed my mind._ 'Where is here? Who am I? What am I?'_

I wasn't sure what to make of what I was seeing. I could hear something pounding in my chest and in my ears.. I wondered if the things and objects around me could hear this noise.

I felt something weird on me. I touched it. It was very weird. I was able to take it off my body. "What is this?" I asked myself. It was something I had never seen before.

Suddenly a sharp object was thrown. It hit the thing I was sitting next to. I suddenly felt something discomforting and weird. It made me drop the thing I was holding. I could feel something oozing down my face. I touched it and looked at it curiously.

"What the heck is this?" I asked aloud as I observed the red sticky substance. I could feel more coming out of my face. "What the heck is going on here?!" The more I touched the spot where the red stuff was coming out of, the more pain I could feel in that one spot. Something overwhelming took over me at that point.

Something appeared right before me._ "_Who are you and what are you doing here?" I looked up startled. I wasn't sure who, or what was in front of me. I became frightened of its' appearance. The thing grabbed me and shoved me into something. "Who are you and what are you doing here?!" I cringed with pain again. My chest was throbbing.

"I...I don't know."

"You're lying to me!"

In the blink of an eye the sharp object was pressed up against my throat. It hurt. "Ple..please.."

"Who are you?" The thing asked more aggressively.

"I..I don't know who I am!" I exploded. "I don't know who or what I am I don't even know what you are!"

The person hesitated and lowered the sharp object but held onto me_._ "You don't know what I am?" I looked at the thing and shook my head. "Do you know where we are? Or where you came from?" I shook my head once more. The person eased off and let me go.

I dropped down to my knees. The person just stared at me. "Ca..Can you..." I began. I swallowed a gulp of air. "Tell me who I am?" I pleaded.

"Sorry kid but I don't know you. You are in the hidden mist village."

"Hidden mist village?"

"Yes. My name is Haku. I am a tracker ninja." I looked at this Haku with confusion.

"So you are a ninja?" Haku nodded. "Am I a ninja too?"

"I don't know kid. Don't know anything about who you are." Haku replied.

"I am a ... kid??"

Haku sighed. "Don't you know anything?" I shook my head once more. "Well you look human so I guess you are human."

"I'm a human." I uttered. Haku nodded. Haku noticed the red oozing stuff on my face. Haku reached out to touch it. I flinched back.

"No don't touch that it hurts." Haku was surprised. An idea struck me. "Can you tell me what this is?" I asked pointing to the red stuff and the cut on my face.

"Are you serious?" Haku asked in disbelief. Haku looked at me and saw that I was completely clue less. "The red stuff is called blood and the thing that the blood is coming from is called a cut. Together they're known as a wound or gash."

"So I have a wound?" I asked. Haku nodded. Haku reached down once more and wiped the blood away from it.

"Judging by the look of you, you're probably about 16 or 17 years old." Haku said aloud.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It's just an age. How old you are." Haku replied.

I tried to take all this in. "Hey it hurts right here," I said pointing to my chest. "But there's no blood there. Why isn't there anything there but it hurts?"

"You probably have some emotional or mental wound." Haku replied. I just stared at Haku waiting for a more. "You see it hurts there because you hurt in your heart and mind."

"What are those?" I asked curiously.

Haku pressed his fingers to his head._ 'Geez how clue less is this girl?' _"Your mind is your brain which is right here." Haku said as he pointed to my head. "That's where all your thoughts and knowledge come from."_ 'But you have no knowledge or you're a very good actress.'_ I tried to look at my head but somehow I couldn't. Haku sighed. "And your heart which is here," Haku said as he pointed to my chest. "Is where all your life and true emotions are."

"So my heart has been hurting?" I asked.

"Guess so."

"But why?"

"I don't know. Obviously something happened to you emotionally."

I looked at him with a look of confusion. I picked up the thing I had in my hands before Haku showed up. He told me it was something called a pack. I could store things in it and whenever I needed something I could look in my pack to see if I had whatever I needed. I wanted to go through my pack but I wanted to know more. So I put it back on my back. Haku sat with me for hours explaining the best he could. I learned that he was a boy and I was a girl. I learned about genders, life, trees, the sharp object which was really called a senbon or something and I learned about other sharp objects known as kunai. I learned about birds and deer and every animal.

He even told me every body function so I knewwhat was what. And the reason why he looked so weird was because he was wearing  
something called a mask on something called his face. It helps hide your identity. An identity is someone who you are. He let me see his real face for a moment but put on his mask back on. He made a funny noise which he told me later was called laughter. People laugh when they're happy. I tried it and it didn't sound like anything Haku was doing. He was laughing harder. He even let me play with his mask a little. But some how none of this was helping me with who I was.

Suddenly as Haku was telling me about something called chakra, he shot up. "What is wrong Haku?" I asked. He grabbed his mask away from me and put it back on. I looked at him with confusion and curiosity. All of a sudden Haku grabbed me and jumped up in the air. A loud noise came from where we were.

"That's a ninja tool known as a bomb it explodes like that, destroying anything in its path," Haku explained to me, already reading my mind. I nodded. He jumped down into some bushes with me. "Listen stay here and be quiet don't do anything till I get back." Haku instructed. I nodded. In the blink of an eye he was gone. I sat and waited quietly, hearing more of those loud noises that bombs make. I covered my ears. I also heard other weird noises but I was too afraid to look over the bushes and see what it was. Haku had said not to do anything.

Something started emerging from the area. I was unsure of what it was. I soon wasn't able to see well anymore. I looked around frantically, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Whaugh!" I heard someone yell.

"Haku!" I yelled without thinking. I think Haku said that it was a reflex or an involuntary action. I wasn't sure what the difference was. Suddenly my head felt as if it was burning. I couldn't tell where the pain was coming from. I was moving but I wasn't doing it. Was I flying. My body crashed into something hard. I fell to the ground with a flop. I got to my knees, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of me.

"Heh you're just a brat!" I heard someone yell. I picked up my head to see who had said that but still couldn't see anyone. I looked at the ground to see more of the red stuff, or blood dripping from my head. I touched my head. It felt like it was burning once more. Suddenly sharp things were being thrown at me.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed as most of them pierced my skin and went into my body. Now my body was in pain. I began to breath heavy.

"You're not even gonna put up a good fight?" A heard the voice call once more. "What a pity. Oh well at least you won't be hard to kill!"

"Haku!!" I yelled hoping he would do something. Haku appeared in front of me and blocked more of the sharp things from getting to me. He scooped up my body and jumped off like he did before. I felt like I was nothing as he carried me off. Soon I was able to see again and I saw Haku's body. It was cut up like mine.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him. He said nothing. We stopped at some place with a lot of rocks and this weird moving thing. Haku took off his mask and walked over to the moving thing. I hesitated.

"It's called a stream and it's filled with an element called water and it can't harm you." Haku assured me. I made my way over to Haku and stared at the water. Haku had told me about the elements. They were apart of this thing called nature that made up the world. So this is what water looked like. When I gazed at it, I saw a girl and when I glanced over more I saw a boy. He looked just like Haku. I questioned him about this. He said it was something called a reflection. I was just seeing an image of myself. I stared at myself more, studying everything I saw.

"It's so.. Fast.. And pretty." I managed to say. Haku scooped up the water in his hands and began to wash the blood away from his cuts.

"You should do the same too. You don't want those cuts to get dirty or they'll get infected and then you'll get sick." Haku warned.

Haku had said getting sick was when your health was low and you didn't feel good at all. I asked him if I was sick and he said I looked normal. Haku looked back at me, telling me to sit with his eyes. It was so mystical to me. I sat down and stuck my legs into the river. Suddenly, the water started climbing up my legs and went right to my cuts. Startled I jumped back from the water. Haku looked at this amazed. It actually felt very nice. I watched as the water stayed on my legs and washed the blood away. Soon the cuts got smaller and smaller till it was like nothing had ever happened to my legs. Soon after, the now red water dropped from my legs.

"Hey Haku, why's the water red now?" I asked. I looked up. Haku was speechless. "Haku?"

"Stick your arms into the water." Haku commanded. I shrugged and put my arms into the water then took them back out. The same thing happened to my arms as my legs. The blood and water vanished like there was nothing there. Haku grabbed my arm forcefully.

"Ouch Haku," I complained.

"The wounds are gone." Haku breathed in disbelief. Suddenly, Haku stuck my head into the river faster than I knew what was happening. I tried to breathe but something was wrong. My head flew out of the river but was still encased with water. I looked at Haku, scared. I was breathing now but this felt weird. It was almost like I was sucking the air out of the water that encased my head or something. My vision wasn't right either. The water fell from my head and I could see normally again.

I felt my head. "It doesn't hurt anymore!" A thought crossed my mind. I scooped up some water from the stream and put it on my chest. The water just ran down to the rest of my body, closing up some other wounds. "It won't heal my heart. . ."

_'Is this some kind of blood line trait? '_Haku asked. Haku stared at me as I watched more wounds disappear_. __'Just who, or what is this girl?'_

"Hey Haku, is this what's supposed to happen when you touch water?" I asked. "I mean you touched it and you still have your cuts."

"What you have is called a blood line trait. It's a special gift handed down in ones' clan. You can heal yourself if you're around water, which makes you a healer."

"What's a healer?" I asked.

"It's a special person who can make the wounds and pain disappear like you just did to your body." Haku replied.

"So can I do it to you?" I asked.

"You can try." Haku said with a shrug.

I scooped up some water and poured it over Haku's arm. Nothing happened. I scooped up more water but this time I told Haku to place his arm in the water while I was touching it. Still nothing happened.

"Do I need some kind of trigger to activate this?" I asked.

"No. But maybe you could use a jutsu. If you have a blood line trait you can most likely use chakra." Haku explained to me all about chakra. I did as he said and soon this blue stuff was swirling around me. I looked at it, amazed. Haku taught me some hand signs I could use to defend myself. I practiced them a little and none of them turned out right.

"It's not working Haku." I finally said.

"You've just found your chakra, it'll take time for you to develop your skills enough to be able to use jutsu." Haku explained.

I clenched my hand into a fist. "But your wounds," I began. "It's not fair that mine are gone but you still have to suffer."

Haku smiled a smile that made me feel a funny but good feeling inside myself. "Don't worry about me this is nothing compared to what I used to do."

Something swelled up inside me just then. Was it an emotion that Haku told me about? But what emotion was it?

"Are you angry about that?" Haku asked.

"So I'm feeling anger?" The anger built up more and more inside me. Haku looked at me strange. "I feel really weird Haku. I think I'm sick." With that, my hands started moving on their own. "What the?!" Haku watched too. I clapped my hands together and they stopped. Suddenly, water from the stream shot out and consumed Haku. Haku tried to get away but couldn't. I was in a state of shock. Haku looked like he was in pain or something to me. I thought I was hurting him. My eyes began to water and water came out of them. I touched my face.

_'Tears? I'm crying. . . But how do I know this. . . Did I. . .'_ Strange images began to flash through my mind.

As that was happening the water that encased Haku dropped to the ground and Haku was released. I clutched my head as images of people flashed through my mind. I tried to figure out who these people were. Haku looked at his body to see that all of his wounds were gone and that he felt fine. He looked up at me to see that I was clutching my head. I heard the sound of him running. I looked up slightly. For a moment it didn't look like it was Haku but it was someone from the images I was seeing.  
**  
_"Refi!"_ **I heard someone call out. I dropped to my knees by the time Haku reached me.

"What's wrong with you?" Haku asked.

"Refi. . ." I said aloud.

"What?"

"Refi. . . I think that's my name. . ."

Haku smiled. "Looks like your amnesia is wearing off a little." Haku explained to me what amnesia was and that I was having memory flashes of my past or something.

"So those people were apart of my past?" I asked Haku. Haku nodded. This was so strange to me but at least I knew my name. Refi. That was one part.

Haku helped me up. "Come on, I would think Zabuza would want to meet a girl like you."

"Zabuza?" I asked. Haku picked me up once more and was off and flying.

_'I still may not know who I am.'_ I began_. 'But at least I know my name. It may not be much but it's something. I know my name but those people. . . Who are they and why do I feel weird thinking about them..'_

"Don't worry." Haku said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "You may not know everything yet but you will. Remembering your name is the first step. You're just incomplete now and you need to piece back your memory."

"I'm. . Incomplete," I repeated. Now I was more determined than ever to figure out the mystery of me and to get back my memory of everything. My mind began to go back into thinking mode as Haku still carried me off to see this Zabuza person.

_- - -_

Well that's the end of that! lol plz review in order to find out what happens next! ^^ Thankies!


	2. Bringing Me to Life

A/N: Alright I got bored so here's Stage 2 hope you like it! ^^ Again plz review i'd really like to hear from you guys thankies!

DISCLAIMER: IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM COULD I EVER OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH NARUTO (I only wish i did XD) ALL COPYRIGHTS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS! MADE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY! I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTER I CREATE AND THAT IS ALL THANK YOU!

**Stage 2: Bringing Me to Life  
**

"Hey Haku I have a question," I began. Haku glanced down at me. "Back there. Who were those things? Why did they hurt us like that?"

Haku sighed. "Those were other ninjas only they were rogue." Before I could say anything Haku began explaining. "Rogue ninjas are ninjas that have broke away from their villages. People fear when this happens because these ninjas carry secrets of their village and these rogue ninjas could betray their village and tell their secrets to their enemies. That's where trackers come in. Our purpose is to bring down these rogue ninjas and protect the secrets of our village."

"But why would they try to hurt us?" I asked still unsure.

"They must have saw that I was a tracker ninja and decided to take me out before I had a chance to take them out."

I nodded. "So were they rogue ninjas from the mist village?"

"In a way yes but not exactly. You see once you become a rogue ninja you are no longer a part of that village any longer. They disown you."

"How do trackers stop these ninjas?" I asked.

Haku chuckled. "We have gone through special training to prepare us for stuff like this."

I looked away for a moment taking all this in. "Oh hey Haku I have another question." Haku looked at me once more. "Why couldn't I see back there when those rogue ninjas attacked?"

"Probably because they were using the hidden mist jutsu."

"What's that?"

"It's a jutsu that allows the user to create a heavy fog, giving the enemy a hard time if you don't know how to fight in fog."

"Could I learn that?" I asked hopeful.

"It's not that hard to do. I'm sure Zabuza could teach it to you."

A smile lit up my face. I was excited to meet this Zabuza now. I wondered if he was like Haku or if he was different. I eagerly waited for us to arrive at our destination.

- - -

My memories are still foggy. There's still much that I need to remember. I'm scared to learn any more than I know. Haku has helped me out so much. And now he's brought me here to meet this Zabuza person. He looks scary, menacing, blood thirsty. Why would someone as gentle and kind as Haku hang around a guy like this? That sword on his back. It was as big as him. It made him looks so much more menacing.

"This girl has a unique blood line trait Zabuza, she is able to heal her wounds by just touching water and she can heal people using some kind of jutsu."

Zabuza looked at me with a look that I couldn't find words for. "Hmmm. That sounds quite interesting could be very useful to me," Zabuza said as he leaned down to get a closer look at me. I flinched back, involuntary. Zabuza straightened out. Haku began to apologize for my actions and was telling him about how I had no memory of who I was and how I had just remembered my name not too long ago. I could see the smirk through the bandages on his face. The bandages did make me quite curious.

"Um excuse me Mr. Zabuza." I began. Zabuza and even Haku looked at me. "Why do you have those bandages covering your face. Are you hurt or do you have a wound?" I asked curiously.

Haku was about to say something but Zabuza put a hand up, signaling him to stop. He came closer and unraveled his bandages, revealing his face. I looked at it curiously and didn't see a wound or any cut for that matter. This confused me. Zabuza got more bandages and began to cover his face once more. Haku sat down with me to talk a little bit.

"Zabuza wears those bandages to hide his face like I hide mine with this mask." Haku explained.

"But bandages make it look like he's hurt. Why use them instead of a mask like you have?" I asked.

"Zabuza and I are different on that." Haku began.

"I don't need to impersonate some stupid tracker ninja," Zabuza said, cutting in on the conversation. "They say I have the face of a demon so I'm doing them a favor by covering it up," Zabuza said.

I looked at Haku. Haku sighed. "A demon is a thing that isn't human. People believe demons are evil creatures who do no good around anyone. They bring harm and bad luck."

I looked at Zabuza curiously. "But he doesn't look like a demon. He looks like you and me, a human."

This took Haku by surprise and made Zabuza laugh. Zabuza walked over to me and put his hand on my head. "There's a reason why I'm known as the demon of the hidden mist."

Suddenly, Zabuza grabbed my arm and took one of his kunai weapons and cut a huge wound into it. I cried out in pain. Haku shot up from his seat. "Zabuza what are-" But before Haku could finish his sentence, Zabuza was dragging me out of the room. Haku followed Zabuza loyally behind. Zabuza dragged me into a different room. He went over to a thing that I was unsure of what exactly it was. He did something to cause water to come rushing out of some metal thing. He stuck my arm that he cut under the water and then took it out. Just like what happened before, the water washed the blood away and closed the cut. Zabuza watched in amazement at this. I could see the grin through his bandages.

"Kid, you're going to be with me and Haku here from now on." Zabuza commanded. Haku was just as shocked as I was.

"But why sir?" I asked him.

"Because I said so. Besides you're lucky," Zabuza began. "If someone else would have found you lying around like you were and then accidentally saw your blood line trait they would have killed you on the spot." I froze in place and Haku stiffened. Zabuza let my arm go.

"Haku spend every second with this girl. Learn what she can do and teach her to kill like I taught you."

"Yes but why aren't you going to teach her?" Haku asked.

"I've got business to take care of." Zabuza said.

So from then on, for the next month I spent all my time training with Haku. He taught me about some much more stuff. I was able to use jutsu and heal myself. I could now fight because of Haku.

"Haku, why would people want to kill me if they found me and found out about my blood line trait?" I asked Haku.

Haku stiffened. He sighed and told me about the story of his childhood. I was horrified.

"And I owe my whole life to Zabuza. If it weren't for him I would be dead. He brought me to life and made into who I am today. Nothing I could do could ever repay him accept for staying with him and helping him reach his life long goals."

"So people wanted to kill you just because of your special abilities? Just because you could do something that they couldn't?" I asked. Haku nodded.

"That's just not right. Wait. ." I began to think.

"What is it?"

"Since you found me and saved me like Zabuza found you, then that means I owe my life to you!" I exclaimed. Haku was shocked but then smiled.

"You don't owe anything to me. I just didn't want what happened to me happen to you. Just stay here with me and Zabuza, and help us and that's all you'll have to do." Haku assured.

I nodded my head. "Ok! I will stay here forever!"

Haku laughed. I joined in on his laugh. Now it doesn't sound so funny when I laugh. However, I hadn't been able to heal anyone like I healed Haku that one day. That feeling hasn't been here since that day either.

"Hey Haku," I began. Haku looked at me. "Do you think my emotions have an effect on my jutsu? I mean remember that one day I thought it wasn't fair that you had wounds and I healed mine?"

Haku shook his head. "Yes why?"

"I haven't been able to do that since. I think it had to do with what I felt." I concluded.

Haku sighed. "Well I think it's time for us to try to tap into that power to see what you can do with it."

Haku took out his senbon. I took out my kunai, thinking we were gonna spar again. Every time we fought, Haku would always win because of his amazing speed but day by day I was getting better at everything. It was only a matter of time till I surpassed him. I anxiously awaited that day. Haku even showed me his blood line trait. It looked absolutely beautiful. When he's not training me, he's training on his own. I sit off and watch him train. I don't understand how his body can endure so much. I was determined to be just like Haku. Zabuza was even nice enough to get me a hidden mist head band. I wore it around my arm proudly and was grateful he went through the trouble just for me. Zabuza even taught me the hidden mist jutsu. Maybe I misjudged him. Zabuza may look scary but he's a nice guy deep down. He just didn't like to show it. I saw Haku get into a crouching stance. I readied myself knowing that he was going to attack. But this time Haku did something unexpected. Haku stabbed his hand with a senbon.

"Haku what are you doing?!" I demanded to know. Haku drew the senbon out of his hand and stabbed his upper arm with it. "Haku stop!" I exclaimed charging at him, desperate to get him to stop.

Haku jumped out of the way. He drew the senbon out of his arm and switched it to his other hand. He stabbed his other hand with it. Haku threw his mask off and I saw his face. It was twisted with pain. Haku kept stabbing himself in various areas. Everytime I tried to get closer he'd use his speed to get away. Soon he led us to a stream.

_'Damnit why won't he stop?!'_

"Better do something before I start hitting critical areas," Haku warned. I was panting and out of breath. Tears began to form in my eyes. Haku threw a handful of senbon at me. All of them hit me. I stuttered backwards. "Shinobis do not cry and you will learn not to show your emotions fast or else." Haku took out another senbon and stabbed himself in the throat. Everything in my body went nub as I watched him fall to the ground. My legs took off as I raced to his side. I took the senbon out of his neck. His body looked lifeless.

"Haku!!" I yelled. The feeling was coming back and I let it consume me. I could feel my hands wanting to move to do the jutsu. "Dog, snake, boar, rabbit, sheep!" I clapped my hands together. "Prayer jutsu!" I called out. Just like what happened over a month ago, water shot out of the stream, healing Haku. I focused and made sure every inch of him was ok. I relaxed and the water fell off of Haku. Haku looked up at me. I was panting. He smiled.

"I knew you could do it if you were pushed." He said as he stood up. Haku picked me up and threw me into the stream. I waited under water for a little bit until I was sure that my wounds were gone. I surfaced and took a breath of air. I swam to shore.

"You could have warned me before you threw me in there ya know," I said sourly. Haku laughed which made me laugh.

"Now that you know the hand signs to your jutsu you can use it whenever you want to without having to go through all that." Haku explained.

I looked at him. "It's called prayer jutsu."

Haku laughed. "That's an unusual name. Why prayer?"

"Because I want you to be healed and I prayed you were. It answers my prayer so I call it prayer jutsu."

Haku placed his hand on my head and ruffled my hair. "You should practice with that to see how well it works."

"There's something I don't get. Why do my wounds heal faster than my broken bones?" I asked Haku. Back when Haku and I were training at one point he accidentally broke my whole arm bone. I had to hold my arm under water for about an hour till it was healed completely.

"Your bones are much more complex and tougher than your skin." Haku explained.

"So if I worked do you think I could use my prayer jutsu on myself?" I questioned.

"Well yes most likely." Haku answered.

"Oh wow! I wonder just how well this will work! Like how fast can it heal broken bones if it can! Haku what if I can heal more than one person at once!" I began to yell idea after idea. Haku laughed and listened to all of my ideas. So now a couple hours a day Haku and I would spar, while we worked on our jutsu separately. I learned that I could heal broken bones and almost anything with my prayer jutsu. But I still couldn't get rid of the pain in my heart. I experimented a little bit and found out I could heal two people at once and while I used water clones I could heal much more but I did have my limit. I learned of all kinds of different jutsu I could do.

Finally I decided to go through the pack that I had. For some reason or another I had a pack with me when I first woke up. I looked through it and only found some weird devices with tiny little things. I tried biting the tiny things but they tasted bad and hurt when I bit too hard. I dug around in it and I found a small piece of paper. It had some writing on it.  
_**  
'The weird looking things are called guns and the tiny things that go with it are called  
bullets. Use this weapon well to kill your enemies.'**_

I wondered for the longest time who or what would have gave me this pack with the mysterious guns and bullets

I took it to Haku and he examined it. He concluded that the bullets went into the two guns I had. And when you squeezed the little handle thing at the bottom of it the bullets would fly out of the guns, almost as fast as Haku. With this new device, I trained with this instead of kunai. Before I actually got to work with them, Haku examined them for an entire day. He learned of every mechanism on the guns and told me what which thing did what. He even examined the bullets. He learned what they were made of and taught me how I could make the bullets in case I ever ran out, I could just make some more on my own. I learned how to aim with it and even began using it in the spar matches me and Haku had. I had gotten so well I could actually hit Haku with my guns. Of course I'd heal  
him afterwards. Finally, after all those hard days of practice, I was at Haku's level and he knew this as well.

"I'm proud of you, Refi."

"You said my name," I said in disbelief.

"Well yea so?" Haku asked.

I started giggling, then laughing. Haku smiled too. "Even though you're younger than me you still are much stronger and better." I complemented.

Haku just smiled. "Haku," Zabuza called. Haku put his mask on and stood up. I looked back to see Zabuza as well. It was nearly night time Zabuza made his way over to us. "Tomorrow the bridge builder is going to arrive here and we have to put an end to him."

"You mean kill him?" I asked shocked.

Zabuza looked at me as if I just said something insulting. "Yes kid, we have to!"

I flinched. _'Haku never told me that we had to kill. . .'_I looked at Haku. He was looking at Zabuza. Zabuza and Haku talked for a bit but soon came to a decision.

"Haku, you stay in the shadows tomorrow while me and her take care of them."

This shocked me and Haku. "But Zabuza why can't I be in the shadows, Haku is much better fighter than I am!"

"I know this, but I need Haku to watch the punks who are guarding the bridge builder. "Tomorrow we are purposely going to lose, but we will put up a fight," Zabuza assured.

"And you want me to observe their skills to see what they can do?" Haku asked.

Zabuza nodded. "It is your specialty isn't it Haku?"

Haku nodded. Zabuza talked to us for a couple more hours about what was going to happen tomorrow. I listen and was willing to do what Zabuza asked for Haku. "So he has Kakashi Hate as a body guard?" Haku asked. Zabuza nodded. "Kakashi Hate is a jonin level ninja, he is not to be taken lightly," Haku warned. I nodded my head in understandment. Zabuza snorted.

"But then again Haku if I finish them all off, you won't be needed for interrupting."

"I understand."

Soon the talking stopped and I was actually excited about tomorrow. It would be my first real test of being a shinobi. For the first time since I could remember being here, I felt like I was becoming more alive. All this was bringing me to life and it was all thanks to Haku.

- - -

Ok so that's the end of this stage for now! Hope you like plz review thanks! ^^


	3. Familar Flashes

DISCLAIMER: IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM COULD I EVER OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH NARUTO (I only wish i did XD) ALL COPYRIGHTS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS! MADE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY! I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTER I CREATE AND THAT IS ALL THANK YOU!

- - -

**Stage 3: Familiar Flashes**

The next day came quickly. Zabuza readied everything he needed. He sharpened his sword for about an hour making sure that it was extra sharp. My nerves were getting to me. I was unsure of my own strength. I was just hoping that I wouldn't screw things up for Zabuza. I didn't want Haku to be disappointed.

"Hey Haku. . ." I began as I approached him outside where he usually was. Haku turned and faced me. "Are you sure that we should do this?"

Haku took off his mask and smiled at me. "Don't worry about a thing Refi. I will be right there in the shadows if something goes wrong I'll be there to help you no matter what." This made me feel better but something was still bothering me about this.

I turned away from Haku. "Haku if something does happen help Zabuza if he needs it." I began. "After all I know you live for Zabuza so you should protect him rather than me. I will try my best  
and use everything you taught me Haku! I just hope it'll be enough.."

Haku walked over and ruffled my hair. I turned to face him. He was still smiling. "Don't worry about anything. With us 3 together no one, not even Kakashi Hate can stop us." Haku promised.

"Haku. ." I trailed off.

"Haku," Zabuza said, appearing in front of us both. We both turned to face him. "It's time."

"Yes." Haku said. I nodded weakly. Zabuza looked at me.

"Don't slow me down or get in my way, or I'll kill you." Zabuza warned. Fear crept into my heart and shook my head in understandment. "Let's go." Zabuza commanded jumping high up in the air. Me and Haku did the same. I followed Haku closely.  
_  
'Everything will be fine.' _I kept telling myself over and over again. I stared at Haku. It was silent pretty much the whole way. Abruptly, Zabuza jumped down into some bushes.

"You must follow Zabuza now. Don't worry, I'll be in the shadows. Do your best." Haku encouraged. I nodded and jumped down next to Zabuza. Haku soon vanished. I felt a bit uncomfortable.

"You best be ready to kill girl." Zabuza uttered. I shook my head yes. Off in the distance I could hear foot steps.

"There's more than one of them?" I whispered in disbelief. I knew Zabuza knew this as well. I listened more closely.

* * *

I counted in my head as the foot steps were becoming more clear. _'But which ones belong to the bridge builder?'_

"Zabuza, all we have to do is kill the bridge builder right? We don't have to kill anyone else?" I asked.

"Look just keep quiet for now. Wait till I make a move and follow me you got that?"

"Yes sir."

I watched Zabuza take his pack. He reached inside of it and pulled out what appeared to be animal. It was pure white with black eyes. "This rabbit will act as our decoy." Zabuza put the rabbit down and directed it to run into some other bushes. My heart began to race. I could hear one of them yelling about something. I wanted to see who they were but I know that would blow everything.

"Don't worry old man I'll protect you I can sense danger!" I heard a boy call out. "Nothing over there! Wait there!" I heard kunai hitting trees and going into the bushes. I covered my head in case they threw one in our direction. Zabuza tightened his grip on his sword, more than ever wanting to go and kill them, especially that annoying boy.

"Naruto!" I heard a girl call out. "You almost hit this bunny!"

"Ga! Oh no! I'm sorry bunny!" The boy told the bunny.

"Man you really are an idiot aren't you." I heard another boy say.

"Wha? All this just because of a rabbit?" I heard a man say.

"Well at least we know now that Naruto is ready to attack anything." A man joked.

Suddenly, Zabuza grabbed his sword and threw it towards the bridge builder.

"Look out!" I heard a man warn. Zabuza disappeared from my side. I thought that was my cue. I jumped out and landed on a tree branch. Zabuza's sword had dung into the same tree I was standing in. Zabuza was standing on his sword, but his body was faced away from our enemies. He looked back and glared at a man with hair as white as the rabbit was. He also had something covering his face and his head band was covering his left eye. I gazed at the others.

The girl had pink hair and wore her head band in her hair. She wore a red dress type thing. Another boy looked like his eyes were full of hate. He had hair blacker than darkness itself with black eyes to match. He wore a blue t-shirt with white shorts and blue sandals. His head band was around his forehead. The final boy had spiky blond hair. He wore some orange get up and wore his head band on his forehead. The man in the middle of the group was the bridge builder. He had no head band and didn't look like a ninja so I assumed he must have been our target. I reached into my pouch and  
took out one of my guns.  
_  
'This is going to be so easy.'_ I began. I took aim at the bridge builder. _'One shot and it's all over.' _

"Well, well, well if it isn't Zabuza Momichi." The white haired man said, stepping in front of the bridge builder. This made me angry.  
_  
'Damn I had a perfect shot!'_

Zabuza laughed. I glanced at him. "I take it you're the famous Kakashi Hate am I correct?"

"Yes you could say that you are." Kakashi replied. I studied Kakashi even more. Zabuza continued laughing.

"Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, protect the bridge builder." Kakashi commanded.

"Right!" The three of them said. They surrounded the bridge builder the best they could.

_'I wonder who's who.' _

"You think that could stop me?!" Zabuza asked, as if he was insulted by their efforts. In the blink of an eye, Zabuza removed his sword from the tree and broke through the 3 kids' circle around the bridge builder.

"He's so fast!" The pink haired girl commented. I assumed she was Sakura since Sakura was a girl's name and she was the only girl.

Zabuza swung his sword. "Pathetic!" Kakashi got the bridge builder out of the way while the other 3 dodged his attack.

Zabuza straightened out. "Refi," Zabuza began. I looked at him. "Take care of the 3 weaklings. Leave Kakashi to me. But don't kill the bridge builder. I want to do it myself."  
Zabuza said menacingly. I did a flip out of the tree and landed on the ground. I reached into my pouch and took out my other gun. I held both my guns firmly, one in one hand, the other in my other hand. My eyes burning with determination and passion.

_'Haku, watch me!'_ I thought to myself. Zabuza jumped onto the water and stood there. I could tell what he was doing. He turned his hands into making hand signs quickly.

"Hidden mist jutsu." Zabuza said. A heavy fog began to emerge.

"Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto stay close to the bridge builder!" Kakashi instructed.

_'Zabuza you're making this too easy for me.'_ I complained to myself. Suddenly, a huge wave of chakra blew back the majority of the fog, making the fog turn into a light mist. This angered me.

Zabuza ran up to Kakashi and swung his sword at him. Kakashi blocked it with a kunai knife. Zabuza and Kakashi began fighting. Zabuza was leading Kakashi farther and farther away from the 3 kids.

_'Guess Zabuza is trying to help me out.'_ I thought to myself. I ran forward at the 3. Each had a kunai knife in their hand. I became more nervous._ 'Haku. . .'_ I rose one hand and aimed my gun at the boy in the middle. All of them looked curiously at what I was doing.

"Please forgive me," I asked. This confused all of them. I pulled the trigger. The loud noise rang out throughout the forest. The boy stuttered backward, gripping his arm.

_'What?? I missed?'_ I thought to myself.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out as she watched her friend in pain.

"So he's Naruto." I said aloud as I looked at the blond.

_'That means that one is Sasuke.'_ I concluded. His eyes were burning more with hatred.

"Naruto!" Kakashi cried out. He rushed back to face me. He swung his kunai knife at me. I dodged it. He kept trying to cut me but he missed each time. I finally got enough distance to where I could shoot him. Suddenly I was throw backwards into a tree. I fell off the tree and hit the ground.

"I told, you, girl," Zabuza began as I rose to my feet. "Kakashi and the bridge builder are mine."

"My apologies." I said as I wiped the blood away from my mouth.

"He just attacked his own teammate!" Naruto called out.

"You. ." Kakashi began.

"Now Kakashi I thought your fight was with me." Zabuza began.

"Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, work as a team to beat this girl. She's not your average shinobi." Kakashi warned.

"Right," Sakura said.

Naruto snorted along with Sasuke. Zabuza jumped back at Kakashi. I took aim at Sakura and shot. Sasuke appeared in front of her and blocked my tiny thing with a kunai knife. This shocked me.

_'But Haku couldn't block this how can he?! Is he stronger than Haku? Was Haku not fighting for real when we sparred?'_ I asked myself. I smirked.

"Sakura, Naruto, protect the bridge builder," Sasuke instructed, never taking his eyes off of me. "She's mine."

I frowned and became determined to take this kid down. I got into my fighting stance. "Listen to me," I commanded. Their attention was on me. "Just hand over the bridge builder and you all will live. If not I will kill you," I promised. Sakura's eyes became filled with fear and worry. Sasuke's facial expression never changed.

"Just who do you think you are?!" Naruto yelled. "You can't go threatening us like that! Never underestimate leaf shinobi!"

_'So they're from the leaf village.'_ I recalled Haku mentioning it but never said a lot about it.

Sasuke jumped up in the air and took out a handful of kunai. He threw all of them at me. It was too easy to dodge it. I appeared behind Sasuke. He looked shocked. I quickly turned my hand into a fist and punched Sasuke in the back. He went hurdling into the ground, making a small creator.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out.

Kakashi was growing worried about his team. It was hard to concentrate with all the other distractions going on but he had to focus. Once Zabuza was taken down he would take out that girl. I landed on the ground next to the creator and looked at Sasuke. My eyes widened. He looked like he was covered in blood. He was twisted all in pain. And I caused it. I turned away and threw up. This shocked Sakura and Naruto.

_'I have to help him! I'm a healer!'_ I cried out in my head._ 'No I can't do that I have to help Zabuza for Haku!'_ Another part of my head screamed at me.

"You jerk!" I turned quickly to see multiple Narutos coming at me at once. I took out my guns and started pulling the trigger. Each Naruto I hit turned into smoke. Once they were all gone one Naruto stood standing. He hand Sasuke in his arms. He set him down next to Sakura.

"Is he?" The bridge builder began to ask.

"No I don't think so besides this is Sasuke he'll be back up on his feet in no time at all!" Naruto reassured. Naruto turned and faced me.

"I'm going to ask you this one more time, give up and hand the bridge builder over or you'll all die."

"No way! I'm not gonna die here I'm going to defeat you and become hokage one day in my village believe it!"

_'Strange. .'_ I began. Something was building up inside me. Something I've never felt before.

_I got into my fighting stance, waiting for Naruto to make the first move. "So be it. You all will die." Sakura knelt down next to Sasuke, examining his wounds. She concluded that he was just knocked out._

_"Wait Naruto please don't fight her you'll end up like Sasuke. Or worse."_

_"Sakura. ." This was the first time that Sakura was showing any type of concern for Naruto._

"Fine then die!" I yelled as I was fed up with all this non sense. I took aim at Naruto and pulled the trigger of my gun. The noise rang out once more throughout the forest.

Suddenly a wall of fire burst out in front of Naruto. Kakashi and Zabuza stopped and stared.

"What is that?" Zabuza asked in disbelief.

Kakashi chuckled to himself. "Looks like she's here."

"She?" Zabuza uttered. Zabuza saw that this was the perfect chance. He quickly thickened the fog and made a water clone of himself. The clone ran at Kakashi. Kakashi blocked the water clone's attack. Kakashi pulled out another kunai knife and stabbed the water clone. It turned into water.

"What?!" Kakashi asked confused.

"Water prison jutsu!" Zabuza called out. He snuck up behind Kakashi and trapped him in his water prison.

"No!" Kakashi exclaimed.

Zabuza laughed. "You let your guard down." Kakashi started to panic.

I stood and watched as the flames died out. "Well it looks like I got here just in time!" A girl called out from behind the smoke.

"Thanks! You really saved me there!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Shupa!"

_'...Wait... That voice,'_ I thought.

The smoke instantly cleared and I stared at the girl revealed. It looked like she blew the rest of the smoke away with the fans she held in her hand.

"Refi?!" The girl gasped, her eyes becoming wide eyed.

_'How does this girl know my name?'_

"Wait you know this girl Elfi?!" Naruto demanded to know pointing at me.

_'Elfi...?'_ Something began to trigger in my head at that name. I just didn't know what._ 'Where have I seen this girl?'_

Elfi laughed and ran over to me. She jumped up in the air and clung onto me. Tears began to fly down her face but she was still smiling.  
_  
'Why is she smiling and crying? What does that mean?'_ I wondered to myself.

"Oh I thought I'd never see you again! I thought you were a goner when you passed out!" Something was flashing in my mind. Images of me falling to my knees on the ground, clutching my heart and people surrounding me, hugging me, comforting me. My heart began to hurt once more. I detached the girl from me and jumped back clutching my heart.

"Tsu-sama what's wrong?" Elfi asked running over to me.

"Stay back." I warned, raising my gun to her head as she came 3 feet from me. She still was smiling and laughing.

"Elfi get out of there!" Sakura warned.

"Oh come on I know you, you wouldn't shoot me!" Elfi concluded lowering my gun.

_'Who is this person?'_ I asked myself observing and trying to figure this girl out.

Suddenly, Zabuza appeared and split me and Elfi up. I looked over at the water and Zabuza was still there, having Kakashi in the water prison. I looked back over at the Zabuza on land.

_'That must be a water clone.'_ I concluded

"Get over here now girl," Zabuza commanded. I shook off my shock and got to my feet.

"Wait Refi!" Donna cried out. Elfi ran out to try to get to me. The Zabuza clone however got to her first and kicked her back to Naruto and Sakura. I stopped and turned.

"Elfi are you all right?!" Naruto asked helping her up.

Elfi sprang to her feet and spit out some blood. "That was fun!" Then she wrinkled her nose and kept spitting. "But the taste is terrible!"

My mind started flashing more stuff in my head. I held my head and cringed with pain. I saw Elfi, outside at night, sitting next to me, laughing and joking around. I was  
laughing too.

"What is this?" I uttered.

"Refi!" Zabuza yelled, taking me out of my thoughts. "Stay focused, our mission is not complete."

I shook everything off and tried to forget about what was in my mind. Elfi ran up to the Zabuza water clone and sliced it in two with her fans effortlessly. I rose both my guns once more and began shooting at Elfi. She jumped out of the way before I shot it.

"Now there's no need to be cruel and shoot me with your guns," Elfi taunted. "But if you want to fight," Elfi began. She flew down through the air and landed right next to me. She swung her fang at me. I jumped and dodged it. She threw her other fan at me, cutting my arm. "Gotcha." Elfi said smirking. I landed near the lake. I bent down and put my arm in the water, letting it close up my wound.

"What kind of jutsu is that?!" Naruto asked as he watched my cut disappear.

"Look Tsu-sama, I'm your friend don't you remember anything that happened?"

"You know who I am?!" I asked with hope and confusion.

She looked at me with confusion. "Yeah how could I not we've only known each other since we were ten years old!"

More things flashed through my mind. I watched as we both sat next to each other in the sand leaning against a jungle gym. Both of us were laughing despite the fact that we were beaten up pretty bad.

"The fight in the park between the bullies..." I trailed off.

"Yes! That's how we met!" Elfi exclaimed running up to me. Just then, a senbon was thrown at Elfi, hitting her neck. She fell to the ground with a thump. I stood there and watched with horror. My mind went blank. Rage consumed me.

Sasuke had woken up through that whole ordeal. He and Naruto were making a plan to free Kakashi. Sasuke jumped up and threw his shirken. It raced by me and went straight at Zabuza. Zabuza caught the shirken easy.

"What the?!" Zabuza exclaimed as a second shirken was hurdling towards him. He jumped up and dodged it. "Nothing can touch me!" Suddenly the shirken turned into smoke and Naruto appeared.

"Eat this!" Naruto yelled throwing multiple kunai at Zabuza. Zabuza drew his arm back but still got hit with a kunai knife.

"You little!" Zabuza exclaimed, twirling the shirken that he had caught. He tried to throw it at Naruto but Kakashi stopped it. His head band was on his forehead, revealing his sharigun eye.

Naruto fell into the water safely.

I ran over to Elfi and propped her up. I removed the senbon. _'This is definitely Haku's senbon.'_ I began._ 'I know she's my enemy, but somehow I know this person and she knows  
who I am! I could finally learn everything! Haku and Zabuza would understand if I revived her wouldn't they?'_ I asked myself.

Elfi's body looked lifeless. The more I argued with myself the more time I lost.

"Get your hands off of her," Sasuke commanded, holding a kunai knife to my throat.

"I..I want..." I began. Sasuke still didn't let up. "I want to help her!"

"I'm no fool," Sasuke said putting the kunai knife closer to my throat.

"Please! She knows who I am I have to help her! She'll tell me who I am!" I started doing hand signs. Sasuke was unsure of what to do. "Prayer jutsu!" I called out. Water from the lake sprang out and consumed Elfi's body.

"What the?!" Sasuke exclaimed, moving away from me.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled out, hoping Haku would hear. I knew he wouldn't approve of me helping the enemy but I had to save this girl.

"Water vortex jutsu!" Kakashi called out, finishing the jutsu before Zabuza.

"Impossible!" Zabuza exclaimed as the water vortex raced at Zabuza, hitting him. The whole lake seemed to rise up at that moment. Elfi and I were washed away with everything else. I don't know where Elfi ended up but I smashed head first into what felt like the hardest tree. I hit it so hard that I fell into a state of unconsciousness.

Zabuza hit a different tree and began coughing up water, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of him. "Whaugh!" Zabuza cried out as he was pelted with kunai.

Kakashi appeared on a branch of the tree Zabuza was at. He looked and glared down at Zabuza. Zabuza looked up at him. "Can you...See into the future?" Zabuza questioned.

"Yes, your future is death," Kakashi replied.

Zabuza looked frantically around for any sign of me to aid him. Just as Zabuza was about to get back up, Haku threw his senbons and hit Zabuza in the neck. Zabuza fell to the ground.

Everyone gathered around and saw Haku. "A tracker ninja!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Whoa a tracker!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura explained to Naruto what a tracker ninja was as Haku grabbed Zabuza's body. "I thank you for helping me catch this rogue ninja. Please excuse me." With that Haku disappeared.

My body fell from the tree, causing a loud noise. Kakashi appeared by my side and looked at me.

"Kakashi-sensi?" Sakura uttered walking next to Kakashi with Sasuke, Naruto and the bridge builder.

"What should we do with her?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi sighed and looked at the bridge builder. "Tazuna, we are able to stay at your house until our mission is complete right?" Tazuna nodded yes. "Looks like we should bring Elfi and this girl with us."

"What!?" Naruto yelled outraged. "She was trying to kill us look at our wounds!"

"She'll be our captive and we could get vital information from her." Kakashi said.

As Naruto was about to say something, Sasuke cut in. "Shut up idiot and just do what he says." Naruto didn't agree with it but he went with it. Naruto began to walk over to Elfi to pick her up.

"Kakashi-sensi!" Sakura cried out. Everyone turned to see Kakashi had passed out.

There was a bit of commotion but in the end Sakura ended up carrying Donna, Sasuke ended up carrying me and Naruto ended up carrying Kakashi with Tazuna's help to Tazuna's house.

- - -


	4. Reunion

DISCLAIMER: IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM COULD I EVER OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH NARUTO (I only wish i did XD) ALL COPYRIGHTS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS! MADE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY! I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTER I CREATE AND THAT IS ALL THANK YOU!

- - -

**Stage 4: Reunion  
**

**_Training Academy_**

**_'Hey Refi, ya wanna be my training partner?'_** Elfi asked_._  
**_  
'Who else would I be training partners with?'_ **I replied.  
**  
_'Ya this is gonna be so fun!'_ **Elfi exclaimed glomping me. She clung around my neck. I laughed and threw her off me. She still laughed even though she was still in a little pain.  
**  
_'Sorry about that, sometimes I don't even know how strong I am.'_ **I said helping her up.

**_My home_**

**_'Man how stupid are these people?!'_ **I asked, sitting on a couch next to Elfi looking at some strange box thing._ '**Oh look it's her bracelet and hair tie next to a cliff that looks like someone has fallen off it! Let's go look for her in the complete opposite direction! **_Elfi laughed at my mocking the box. She joined in with me along with another person. I continued my laughing_. **'Man how moronic is this show?!' **_

**_Training Academy_**

**_'I must say I am quite disappointed with you Refi.' _**A man who stood in front of me lectured._ **'You were such a great kid. What possessed you to do something like this?' **_I opened my mouth to say something but Elfi cut me off.

**_'It's my fault. I was the one who actually did it, Refi was just trying to keep me out of trouble this time so that I wouldn't have to deal with this.'_** The man accused. I didn't like this.

**_'Yeah i expected as much. Of course it would have been you who did this.'_** The man accused.

**_'Hold on Uingu-sensi that's-'_ **I began.  
_**  
'Refi can go now that you know it was me right?'**_Elfi questioned, stopping me from admitting to what I did. Uingu-sensi nodded his head yes. He made me leave no matter how much I tried to argue. I felt bad that I Elfi took the fall for what I did but that just made her a good friend.

- - -

My body shot out straight up in the bed I was laying in. I looked around and I was in an unfamiliar place. I sighed and put my hand on my head. _'So those were all just...Dreams?' _I asked myself.

"So you're finally awake now."

I jumped and whipped my head into the direction of where I heard the voice. I stared at the boy. His eyes were still burning with hatred and pain. "You got nothing to say after all that you just put us through huh?" The boy questioned. I tried to remember what they were calling this kid.

"You..You're Sasuke?" I asked. He nodded his head yes. "Where am I?"

"The bridge builder's house. We brought you back here for questioning." Sasuke said before I got any ideas.

"What kind of questions?" I asked. I looked at Sasuke and remembered what I did. "Oh! Are you all right?"

Sasuke looked at me as if I were crazy. "Yeah why?"

"Well I. . ." My mind flashed back to what I did to him. "I hurt you didn't I?"

Sasuke stared at me. "I just let my guard down. I didn't think a girl like you could be so strong that's all."

I took offense to this. "Oh and just because I'm a girl you think I'm weak is that right?"

"That's not what I meant exactly." Suddenly the door began to open. I jumped up on the bed. I reached for my pouch but to my surprised it wasn't there.

"We took your weapons away in case you decided to try anything." The man said stepping into the room, closing the door behind. I looked at him with anger.

"I am Kakashi Hate, the jonin in charge of squad 7. Who are you?" Kakashi asked.

"My name is Refi. I work with Haku and Zabuza." I replied easing off a little.

Sasuke stiffened. I knew that he must have been thinking I was the enemy. Kakashi still looked calm.

"What else can you tell us about Zabuza and Haku?" Kakashi questioned. I remembered back to something that Haku had told me.  
_**  
'If someone ever asks who you are or who we are do not tell them. Make something up. That way they cannot harm you.' **_  
_  
'Ah crap looks look I already blew not telling anything.'_ I mentally slapped myself. I knew they wanted answers but I couldn't tell them the truth.

"Sorry but I can't say much about them."

"Why's that?" Sasuke demanded to know.

"Well I um. ." I thought up something to tell them. "I just recently met them actually. They said that if I joined with them, I would be rewarded with money."

Kakashi and Sasuke just stared at me. I wasn't sure if they were buying it. Kakashi walked forward till he was within my reach.

"Really now?" Kakashi questioned as he pulled his head band up, revealing his sharigun. I stared at it. It began swirling and going faster and faster. "Why don't you tell us the truth."

"Haku is the tracker ninja that found me when I was lost. He taught me about everything I know now." I began. Sasuke and Kakashi listened closely to this. "Haku and Zabuza accepted me even though I had some thing called a blood line trait," Kakashi stiffened at this. "They told me if I ever told anyone in this land about it then I'd die. Haku trained me to kill and to fight. He taught me how to use my chakra and how to perform jutsu. I owe Haku everything. I must serve Zabuza to repay Haku for everything that he has done for me."

"You say that this Haku is a tracker ninja is that correct?" Kakashi questioned.

"That's right." I replied.

An idea struck Sasuke. "Kakashi you don't think that, that tracker we saw was. ."

"Was Haku with you and Zabuza when we fought you 3?"

"Yes, Haku said he'd be in the shadows and would come out when we needed him."

A disturbed look appeared on Kakashi and Sasuke's face. "So. ." Kakashi began.

He looked away from me for a moment. Suddenly I was me again. Like I was under some kind of spell. This frightened me. I saw the looks on their faces.  
_  
'Did I say something about Zabuza. . Or Haku?'_ I asked myself. I saw that these two had let their guards down. _'Now's my chance to escape!'_In the blink of an eye, I jumped past Kakashi and headed for the door. A sharp pain over came me. It was coming from the back of my neck. The next thing I knew I was on the ground, Kakashi on top of me, pinning me to the ground. I panicked.

"Get off! Let me go!" I cried out, flailing my body, trying to get Kakashi off of me. He reached into his pouch and took out a kunai knife and held it to my throat. I froze.

"You need to be quiet, everyone is sleeping. Our intention is not to harm you. But if you try what you just did we won't hold back." Kakashi warned. I felt completely powerless. Haku was right when he said Kakashi was good. Kakashi looked at me with that eye. I squeezed my eyes shut, I didn't want to see something like that. Suddenly I was lifted and thrown. I opened my eyes to see that I had landed on my bed. I turned back to Kakashi. He covered up his eye with head band. I glared at him.

"We've got all the information we needed from you, but you still are our captive, for now." Kakashi said.

My glare increased with hate. I felt the back of my neck to and felt something slippery. It hurt really bad to touch it. I brought my hand back to see what it was. It was blood.

"Sorry about being so rough with you, I thought it was the only way to show you that I was serious." I looked around the room. There was no sign of water around. Kakashi saw that I was looking for something. "Sasuke, why don't you get her what she needs. She's looking for something." I looked back at Kakashi.

"I just need some water." I replied. "I could get it myself."

Kakashi smiled through his mask. "I'm sure it's no trouble for Sasuke, right Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed and left the room. "I could have gotten myself." I repeated looking off somewhere other than looking at Kakashi.

"You mentioned that you have a blood line trait." Kakashi began. I stiffened.  
_  
'When did I tell him that?' _Horror spread across my face. _'Was he going to kill me?'_

"I won't harm you unless you give me a reason to." Kakashi reassured me. I relaxed a little bit. Sasuke entered the room once more. He walked over to me and handed me the glass of water he had gotten. I took it from him and he sat back down in the chair he was sitting in.

I stared at the water. Then I made a decision. I looked back up at Kakashi. "I'll show you it." I began. This shocked Kakashi. He didn't know it would be this easy. "Please come over here and hold this," I said holding out the glass. He obeyed. I bent my head down. He could see the wound he caused. "Pour the water over the wound please."

Kakashi did as I asked. He watched in amazement when the water didn't just fall to the ground. Even Sasuke was watching closely as my wound was healing. Sure he had seen it but not close up. Soon after the wound was gone the water dropped to the ground.

"Just what clan are you from?" Kakashi questioned. After the water had healed my wound, it ran off my neck and onto the floor. I looked back up at Kakashi.

"Honestly I don't know," I began. "I just know that I'm special. . ." Kakashi and Sasuke exchanged glances.

"You guys can't go in there!" Our attention shifted to the noises coming from beyond the door. We heard banging and pounding. Just then, the door flew open.

"Tsu-sama!!" The next thing I knew, I was being crushed by a girl who began talking in a high-pitched tone. "Tsu-sama!!! I thought I'd never see you again!!!"

I was severely confused. I tried to wiggle out of the hold she had on me. Surprisingly, she was stronger than she looked. "Um. . . Just who are you?"

The girl froze where she was. She gripped my shoulders. It looked like what I had said hurt her. "What do you mean who am I?!" She demanded to know. "It's me! Elfi! Your  
best friend! Your other half!"

I just stared at her, not knowing what to do. Kakashi and Sasuke paid close attention to what was being said and done.

"You!!"

Elfi let go of my shoulders and jumped. We both looked at the door way to see the blond haired boy they called Naruto. He was pointing at me.

"You've got a lot of nerve!"  
_  
'Man what is up with these people?'_ I asked myself.

"I think that's quite enough guys," Kakashi told everyone.

"Why are we being nice to her at all sensi!?" Naruto demanded to know as Sakura leaned up against the door post, wondering the exact same thing. "I mean she tried to kill us!" I looked away from him, consumed with guilt. But I knew that the sole reason for any of my actions was for Haku.

"She is our enemy," Sakura replied, coldly. I could tell I was clearly unwanted here at all. I felt for the first time I had been here like I was utterly. . . alone.

"You're wrong Naruto and Sakura!" Elfi began. "Tsu-sama is a great person! She's my friend! Obviously there's a good reason to why she would attack us!" I looked at her. Her eyes were like a fire, burning into Naruto's eyes, trying to convince him I was good.  
_  
'Why...Why is she sticking up for me?'_

"Do you know who I am?" I asked suddenly.

Elfi turned around and smiled. "Well of course! We've only been friends since we were ten years old!" Images flashed through my mind. I began to see everything I dreamt about.

"Sorry, I don't really know who you are," I replied after the images faded away. She gripped my shoulders once more. Everyone watched closely. I looked her in the eyes as she looked me in my eyes, her eyes like fire again. "But you still remember me right?"

"Not very well but yes, somethings I do remember."

"Do you remember anything that happened just recently between us and everyone else at all?"

"No," I answered with sad confusion. "I just woke up here one day and I've been on my own since. That is however, until I met up with Haku and Zabuza." Everyone but Elfi stiffened. I mentally slapped myself. I did not mean to say anything about Zabuza or even Haku at all but for some reason, I couldn't explain what it was, I felt as if somehow I could trust Elfi. I could confide in her and let her know everything I knew. Just who the heck was she and why did I feel so..comfortable around someone I just met? Especially someone who was supposed to be my enemy?

Elfi began to tell me everything. She told me about what my life was like before I met Haku, she told me about my family, friends and she told me everything about myself. I was surprised to see that anyone knew this much about me. I didn't even know as much as she did. The others still stood in the room, listening to Elfi tell all kinds of wild and crazy stories about my life.

"Now do you remember?" Elfi asked.

"Sorry but I still don't remember 98% of what you told me."

Kakashi let out a heavy sigh. "All right guys it's really late now. I'm pretty sure Tazuna and his family have already gone to sleep. Why don't we all do the same."

"Right!" Naruto and Sakura agreed.

"Sasuke, you can leave and get some rest. Naruto, would you mind taking the first watch?" Kakashi questioned.

"First watch?" Elfi and I asked at the same time. Kakashi turned to us.

"Well even after all that Elfi has told us, you still are our enemy and our captive. We wouldn't want you to escape now would we?" I got pretty pissed at Kakashi.

"Aw come on sensi!" Elfi began. "I'll stay here with her so that she won't leave! I'll stay with her the whole night!"

"Well...I don't know," Kakashi replied. Naruto huffed.

"Let Elfi stay with her, I wouldn't want to stay in the same room with her anyways!" With that Naruto stormed off, Sakura following behind, yelling at Naruto for his rude comments. Sasuke just got up and went to his room.

"Please don't mind Naruto," Kakashi began. "He may seem rude but that's how he usually acts towards people who try to kill him. He'll come around eventually," Kakashi tried to reassure me. With that Kakashi left the room.

Elfi seemed very excited to see me. She tried everything she could to get me to remember. She kept saying "Hey remember this" or "Remember the time." No matter how hard she tried, I still couldn't remember. I laid my head down on the pillow.  
_  
'I know that I owe my whole being to Haku for what he has done for me but. . . Elfi. . . She knows who I am. . She can help me regain my memory. Haku will understand.'_ I said trying to reassure myself. Elfi still kept talking about memories of the past. _'Right?'_With that I passed out, letting Elfi fill my heads with the memories I yearned to remember.


	5. Fireflies

DISCLAIMER: IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM COULD I EVER OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH NARUTO (I only wish i did XD) ALL COPYRIGHTS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS! MADE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY! I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTER I CREATE AND THAT IS ALL THANK YOU!

**Stage 5: Fireflies**

I awoke once more. I sat up in the bed. I looked over at Elfi. _'I'm surprised she even fell asleep. She seems so full of energy all the time..' _I laid back down and sat there in thought. Elfi had even told me that her last was Chikin and that mine was Shika. She also mention the names of my friends that I was with before some big accident happened. _'Let's see...There was...Hekia Shishi,' _I thought to myself. Suddenly an image of a girl appeared in my head. I was unsure of this but something told me that this girl was Hekia.  
_  
'Aigo Ookami ...' _Just like with Hekia, an image flashed through my mind only this time it was an image of a boy and something told me that was Aigo.  
_  
'Gaidoku Arikui...Sasukee Neko...Fukachi Tora...and Gojoteki Usagi..' _As I thought about each name, the faces of the _'friends'_flashed through my mind. I finally was able to remember some of my friends. And it was all thanks to Elfi.

"No I don't wanna eat seaweed...!" Elfi mumbled. I turned my head towards her and satup. Her face was towards the window. I looked at her.

"Elfi?" I asked."Are you awake?" I leaned closer to her to see if her eyes were opened

"No I don't want to go skinny dipping in front of everyone!!" Elfi shot up and slapped me across the face, making me fall off the bed. "PERVERTS!" Elfi looked around to see that I wasn't on the bed anymore. "Tsu-sama??"

I had landed on my head. It hurt for a minute but then I rolled over onto my back and just laid there.

"Um..." Elfi began. I glared up at her."Whatcha doin down there Tsu-sama?" Elfi asked, peaking over the side of the bed. She must have heard me when I laid on my back.

I got up into a sitting position. I rubbed the back of my neck for a second then stopped. I looked at her, pissed. "What do you mean what am I doing down here!?" I exploded. "You slapped me and I fell off the bed!" I yelled rubbing my cheek. Elfi looked at my cheek to see it was red. She began laughing hysterically. I got more angry.

"How in the world did I manage to hurt you?" She asked through her laughing. "It's usually the other way around!" I stood up and watched as Elfi rolled around on the bed, laughing hysterically. I was about to yell at her some more but then I found myself joining in on the laughter.

"Just what the heck kind of dream were you having?" I questioned as the laughter died down to chuckles and giggles.

"I don't really know to be honest," Elfi said, getting up from the bed and looking out the window. I noticed how she looked out the window. It was as if she was remembering something. But what could she need to remember?

" You said something about not wanting to eat seaweed and um..."

"What else did I say??" Elfi asked, turning around wanting to know what she had said. She thought there might be a lot to tell so she sat back down on the bed.

"You were talking about not wanting to-," Just as I was about to say the last part, Naruto and Sasuke entered the room. "Go skinny dipping or something..." My face turned beat red as Naruto began flipping out at what I just said. Sasuke put his fingers on his temples, knowing that he and Naruto just entered at the wrong time. Elfi was again rolling around on the bed, laughing hysterically once more as I tried to explain what was going on. Naruto was still flipping out.

"Well it's nice to see everyone's up now," Kakashi commented, pushing his way into the room with Sakura just standing outside the doorway. Kakashi was reading some kind of book called 'Make Out Paradise.' Kakashi looked up at the sight.

_'Somehow I am not surprised at this. . .'_Kakashi told himself

Elfi was still rolling around on the bed. Naruto and I were up in each other's faces and Sasuke was just standing off to the side thinking about how idiotic these people really were. Kakashi sighed.

"Kakashi-sensi this girl is as pervy as you are!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No I'm not!" I defended. "You misunderstood that what i was saying-"

"Oh I understand perfectly what you were saying!" Naruto yelled in my face. And then we were back at it. Round two. Kakashi stood there and chuckled watching me and Naruto fight. Sakura even got in on it. Elfi explained to Kakashi what was really going on. Surprisingly Kakashi understood what she was saying despite the fact that she was still laughing. Sasuke kept mumbling under his breath about how he got stuck working with people like this.

"Alright guys that's quite enough. We have work to do today." Kakashi said, stopping Naruto from saying anything else to me.

"What do we have to do today Kakashi-sensi?" Sakura asked. Naruto seemed very irritated, knowing that he didn't exactly win the argument with I wasn't very happy at that moment either.

"First we eat, then I will tell you the rest," Kakashi said. Everyone cooled down a little and ate, including me. I felt kind of awkward eating with Tazuna and his family. I was trying to kill him yet he was showing me hospitality. I was eternally grateful and I knew that I must repay him somehow. "So then is everyone finished?" Kakashi questioned, taking me out of my thoughts. Everyone nodded. "Good. Tazuna, you will be fine without us for a couple of hours right?" Tazuna gave Kakashi a weird look.

"Yeah, why?"

"I plan on having these 3 train a little today," Kakashi explained.

"Alright Training!" Naruto exclaimed gleefully. Elfi joined in with his enthusiasm. As we followed Kakashi into a forest, all I heard was annoying cheers and yelling about how cool it was going to train. Sakura tried to quiet them down a bit but they just kept being so enthusiastic about training.

I knew I could use a bit more of training I just didn't understand why he was bringing me along. Probably because I was still their 'captive.' I sighed.

"Kakashi,"Sasuke began. He and Kakashi were ahead of everyone else. Kakashi gave Sasuke his attention. "Why are we bringing that girl with us?"

"Well she's still our captive right?" Kakashi told Sasuke.

"Yeah not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

"She won't go anywhere now."

"What makes you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke began. "She believes that as long as she sticks with Elfi, she'll soon discover everything there is about herself. She doesn't want to leave."

Kakashi took this into consideration. "Well...That is true but still. She did say that she owes everything to this Haku which means she could still try to go back to them." Kakashi looked back at me and Elfi. Watching us laugh and having fun. "But I suppose you could be right." Sasuke smirked, knowing that he was right."Well I think this should be far enough." Kakashi said, stopping. Naruto and the rest of us caught up to Kakashi and Sasuke.

"So sensi!" Naruto began. "What are we going to do?! Are we going to learn a cool new jutsu that will take down those creeps in one shot!?" I flinched at this.  
_  
'Haku...' _

Kakashi noticed my reaction to what Naruto said. "Not exactly," Kakashi began, looking away from me. "Your task today will be climbing a tree."

"Climbing a tree??" Naruto, Sakura and Elfi questioned.

"Here's the catch, you can't use your hands," Kakashi explained.

"Aw come on sensi that's going to be way to easy!" Naruto complained.

"We'll see Naruto," Kakashi uttered. "Based on what I saw with your guys' battle before, I can tell you all need serious improvements on chakara control."

"Oh yeah, catra," Naruto said.

Sakura sighed. "No Naruto, chakara," Sakura corrected. Sakura began explaining everything there was to know about chakara. I didn't really pay attention. Haku had already taught me everything Sakura was talking about.

"Very good Sakura, looks like you're the real brains of this squad," Kakashi complemented.

"Yeah well we already know how to use chakara," Naruto began. "What's climbing a tree going to teach us??"

Kakashi sighed. "Here I'll show you. First build up chakara in the soles of your feet." Kakashi built up the chakara in his feet. We all watched, the 4 of them watching in amazement. I found this very boring. "Then you get a running start but I'll just walk up." Kakashi walked over to a tree and put his foot on it. Everyone watched in amazement once more as Kakashi walked up the tree without using his hands. "You see," Kakashi said, standing on a branch upside down. "That's all there is to it."

"That's so cool!" Naruto exclaimed in excitment. Kakashi threw kunai knives down at all of us. The kunai landed in front of each of us.

"Pick a tree. Once you've got your tree climb as high as you can," Kakashi began. "Each time you climb, cut a mark in the tree of how high you can go. Then each time try to make a mark higher and higher than that. Got it?"

Naruto picked up the kunai first. Everyone else picked their's up but me. I knew I could easily get to the top on my first try. This was a waste of my time. I should be spending this time improving my healing techniques, or increasing my strength. Everyone built up chakara in their feet. "Aren't you gonna do it too Tsu-sama?" Elfi asked, seeing that I didn't pick up my kunai.

"This is too easy for me to do so I'll pass on this one," I explained.

"Alright here we go!" Naruto yelled, charging at the tree as Sakura, and Sasuke did the same.

Elfi took off shouting, "Shupa!"

Sasuke made it 1/3 of the way up to tree. Naruto took two steps and fell on his head. I laughed at this. But what really made me laugh was Elfi. She just ran full speed into the tree. I laughed hysterically as she rubbed her head. "You can't just truck through the tree Elfi you have to run up it at an angle." Kakashi called to Elfi, sighing. Sakura made it half way up the tree.

"I thinks I forgot to build up catra in my feet..." Elfi concluded.

"You think or you know?" I questioned, still laughing.

"You used to tell me that all the time when I did stuff like that!" Elfi exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

"Well looks like one of the females is the best chakara controllers of this squad." Kakashi began. "So much for the great Uchiha clan. And it looks like Sakura may have the best shot at becoming Hokage rather than you Naruto."

This got Sasuke and Naruto fired up. "It's not fair though sensi!" Naruto complained. We all looked at him. "If all of us aren't doing it then how do we know how good that girl is!" Naruto exclaimed pointing to me.

I smirked and held up one finger. "That's how many tries it'll take me to reach the top," I bragged. "Why bother waste my time with little kids stuff?"

"Prove it!" Naruto yelled at me. I shrugged. I picked up the kunai and built up chakara in my feet. Just to make Naruto more 'ambitious' to reach the top I walked up to the tree. Everyone's eyes fell upon me as they watched as I just merely walked all the way to the top of the tree. I stood on the tip top of the tree, smirking down at Naruto.

"Satisfied Naruto?" I called to him.

"I'm coming up too Tsu-sama!" Elfi began running up the tree and in no time she was standing two trees away from me. "Hey!" She called to me waving her arms. I waved back.

_'Looks like she's good too...'_I thought to myself as I looked back down at Naruto. I found it so amusing that he was getting so pissed off. I laughed. Elfi laughed with me.  
_  
'Looks like those two are better than I thought...'_Kakashi thought to himself. _'I wonder just how good they are.'  
_  
I watched again and again as Naruto attempted to run up the tree. He wasn't making much progress. Sakura had nearly reached the top 3 hours later and Sasuke was almost half way up the tree.

Elfi called out to me. "Tsu-sama!" I turned to her. "How do I get down?!"

"Are you kidding me right now??" I questioned.

"I'm scared of heights!" I laughed and just jumped down out of the trees, jumping on every branch to get down. I looked up and wickedly smiled at her.

"You ass!" Elfi called down to me. I just laughed again. I wondered how long Elfi could stay up there before her chakara ran out. Just then something flew by my face. I jumped back to see it was an insect. I froze. This insect however looked different than the ones I had previously seen. I followed it a little. This little insect was actually lighting up! I held out my hand and let it land on it. It tickled my skin as it walked around, still lighting up.

"Whatcha got there Tsu-sama?" I jumped at the sudden voice that came from behind me. I turned around to see Elfi's smiling face. I glared at her.

"Don't sneak up on me," I warned.

"Oh my gosh is that a firefly??" Elfi asked as she watched the little bug fly high up in the sky.

"A firefly?" I questioned.

"Yeah that's a firefly!" Elfi replied.

"It's so pretty.

"I know but they usually come out at around dark," Elfi began."It's unusual seeing one out here in broad daylight!"

"Elfi, Refi," Kakashi said, startling Elfi and I. We both turned around, I was mad again.  
_  
'What the hell is up witht these leaf shinobi sneaking up on people?!'_ I wondered.

"Could you guys keep an eye on Tazuna for the rest of the day?" Kakashi asked. "You two are by far the best chakara controllers and it would really help."

"Alright let's go!" Elfi yelled, grabbing my wrist and yanking me with her.

"Wait where is he?" I called to Kakashi.

"The bridge!" He responded back.

"Come on Tsu-sama this way!" Elfi urged.

"I don't think you're going the right way!"

Kakashi chuckled as he watched Elfi pull me in the complete wrong direction as we argued about which way to go. He turned back and watched his 3 pupils then began reading his book once more.

- - -

Finally we found the bridge builder. He was fine of course, still working hard on the bridge. By the time we had gotten to the bridge he was already pretty much done for the day. The sun lit up the sky with all kinds of different shades of red. This always fasinated me. We escorted him to his house. We arrived at his house before Kakashi and the others had arrived. We helped Tazuna's daughter prepare dinner. By the time it was dark, only Kakashi and Sakura returned. Kakashi said that Naruto and Sasuke were back in the forest, still trying to reach the top. Sakura had already reached the top. She looked absolutely drained.

"Come on Tsu-sama let's go!" Elfi urged, grabbing my wrist once more, pulling me towards the door. "Sensi we're going to get Naruto and Sasuke to come back and eat so we'll be back when ever!"

"Wait who said I even wanted to go!!?" I questioned and Elfi yanked me out the door.

Kakashi chuckled along with Tazuna and his daughter.

- - -

"I hate being out here at night," I told Elfi as we were walking through the forest once more.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't know. I just get a weird feeling that tells me that I don't like being outside in the dark."

"You never told me that!"

"Well sorry but I just don't know ya know?" This confused Elfi.

"Wait a second." I began. "Was there a clearing like this when we went into the forest today with Kakashi?"

"Idk," Elfi said as she shrugged.

Man it's so hard to see." I could barely see my hand in front of my face, literally.

I wondered how well this would go. Running around in the black of night. Not even the moon was out. It was strange. According to my calculations the moon should be at its cresent form now. '_Where is the moon?'_I poundered this as I looked up at the sky. A thought crossed my mind.

"Ah!" Elfi exclaimed. I looked over at her to see what she was yelling about. A firefly had appeared in front of her face. I laughed. "It's not funny! It snuck up on me!"

"Now you know how I feel when you guys do that to me!" I stared at the firefly. It's light was even prettier than it was earlier now that it had gotten dark out. I ignored what Elfi was saying as I became fasinated with the light. A buzzing sound filled my ear. I jumped.

"What?" Elfi questioned. I looked to see another firefly had just flew by my ear. Then another one came. Then another, then another. The whole clearing was nearly filled with fireflies, lighting up the clearing. "Wow! I've never seen so many in one area!" Elfi yelled. It was as if they were lighting a path for us to take.

I walked forward, not realizing I had until Elfi called my name and told me to wait. We both walked through the field of fireflies. I was mesmerized. As we reached the other side of the clearing, I stared into the blackness of the forest, not wanting to leave the lighted clearing the magnificent fireflies had created for us.

"What's wrong Tsu-sa- whaugh!" I looked at Elfi to see what had made her stopped talking.

She fell to the ground. "Elfi!" As I tried to reach Elfi and help her I was taken over by a sudden pain. I fell the the ground, laying next to Elfi. My eyes began to close slowly. The last thing I saw were a pair of familar sandals and the glow of the fireflies. Then everything went black.


	6. Unfolding Hurtful Truths

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT AND NOR WILL I EVER OWN ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH NARUTO JUST MAKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT. I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTERS I CREATE AGAIN, FOR MY/THE READERS ENTERTAINMENT ONLY! THANK YOU!**

- - -

**Stage 6: Unfolding Hurtful Truths**

One minute I was in a field with Elfi, surrounded by fireflies. The next minute I was in a somewhat familiar room. I sat up in the bed I was laying in. My neck slightly hurt. I rubbed it.

"So you're up now." I looked over to the door, where I heard the voice coming from. The room was dark so it was hard to see who it was. But I knew that voice like I knew my own name. I sighed.

"You could have warned me ya know, Haku," I said sourly. Haku chuckled. He walked over to the curtains and opened them, blinding me with the sunlight. "Haku!" I complained, not used to the light. Haku chuckled again. My eyes adjusted to the light and I was in the room Haku had given me in our hide out. I turned my body so my feet were hanging off the edge of the bed. Haku was still at the window, looking at my back. "Why do you have your mask on?"

"I had to make absolute sure that the girl you were with didn't see my face," Haku replied. I sighed.

"It wouldn't matter either way if she did. They already know about you," I replied sadly.

"I anticipated that. Kakashi used his sharigun on you didn't he?"

I turned my head to Haku."Sharigun?"

"It's his blood line trait." Haku began."He covers his left eye, which holds the sharigun." Haku began explaining to me what the sharigun was and how it worked. He told me the two powers the sharigun possessed, the copy eye, which enabled him to copy any jutsu he wished and the hypnotic eye, which gave him complete control over whoever fell victim to it. This explained why I told him the things I did. I got pissed off at Kakashi.  
_  
'How could he do something like that?'  
_  
"It is his job," Haku began, reading my mind. "He must protect the bridge builder at all costs. He used his hypnotic eye on you to get you to tell him what he wanted to know."

"I see. How's Zabuza been doing?" I asked.

"Well he's not too happy with your performance, he was hoping Kakashi would have killed you," Haku explained. Fear crept into my heart. "I knew you wouldn't die. That's why I waited so long to make my move."

I smiled. "That was really clever what you did." Haku chuckled once more. I told Haku everything I had learned from being with squad 7 and what they were planning to do. Haku paid close attention to everything I was saying.

- - -

"Elfi!"

"Elfi!!" The wind howled past Elfi's body, still laying in the field. A shadow appeared across her body. "GUYS I FOUND HER!" Naruto panted, out of breath. "Elfi!" Naruto knelt down, shaking her seemingly life less body. "Elfi! No! Come on! Open your eyes!" Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke appeared and watched as Naruto tried to revive Elfi.

"Her lips," Sakura began. "They're...purple.."

Sasuke knelt down next to Naruto and grabbed Elfi's arm. "She's ice cold."

Kakashi knelt down next. He signaled for Naruto to stop shaking Elfi. He looked at her neck and pulled out the senbon that was in her neck. He and everyone else examined it. Naruto balled his hands up into fists.

"Kakashi how could you let Elfi go out alone with that girl!?" Naruto exclaimed frustrated. "I knew she couldn't be trusted!!"

"You're being too quick to judge Naruto," Kakashi replied calmly. Naruto turned to Kakashi about to say something but Kakashi spoke before he did. "Refi couldn't have done this."

"What makes you say that sensi?" Sakura said in a venomous tone. She was convinced that I had killed Elfi.

"Sasuke, remember when we went through all of Refi's weapons?" Kakashi questioned.

"Yeah why?"

"The only weapons that she seemed to posses were those strange weapons. Nothing else. We didn't find senbon on her at all."

Sasuke remembered going through her weapons. "You're right," he concluded. "She didn't have any senbon."

"She could have hid it!" Naruto shouted. "She could have hid it somewhere where you or Sasuke couldn't find and waited for the perfect moment to use it!"

"Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi began. Sakura and Sasuke's attention shifted from Naruto to Kakashi. "What weapon did that tracker ninja use to 'kill' Zabuza?"

Sakura and Sasuke gasped. "Senbon." They both replied. Naruto however wasn't completely convinced. Just then, Elfi burst into flames. Everyone jumped out of the way, in fear that they would get burned. Once the flames disappeared a kid laid on the ground where Elfi's life less body once was. The little girl opened her eyes and yawned. She sat up and stretched.

"What a good nap!" The girl exclaimed in a high-pitched tone. Everyone jumped back down and stared at this little girl. "Hey guys!" The girl looked around, looking for something. "Has anyone seen Tsu-sama??"

"El...Elfi???" Naruto questioned.

Elfi stood up and smiled. "Yup! Don't you know who am I Naruto-kun??" Elfi questioned. "Oh no is everyone losing their memory??? Am I next??"

"Ummm...That's not quite it," Sakura replied.

Elfi looked at Sakura. "What do you mean?" Elfi asked. Elfi looked at her body. "I'm not cut up am I?" Sakura took out the mirror she carried with her at all times and held it up to Elfi. Elfi looked at the reflection. "I'm a brat!" Elfi exclaimed. Naruto laughed at this. "How is this possible Kakashi?" Sasuke questioned.

"I have no idea," Kakashi answered. He was, however, thinking it was due to a blood line trait that Elfi possessed.

"Oh yeah! This is my phoenix ashes jutsu!" Elfi exclaimed, remembering what was going on with her. Everyone gave her a weird look. "Hmm how should I explain this," Elfi asked, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's a kind of jutsu that only I can use, I guess you can call it a blood line trait." Kakashi smirked, knowing he was right. "Whenever my body is in a state where it is on the edge of death, my body regenerates itself by turning me into a little kid." Elfi explained. Just then, Elfi's body was engulfed with flames once more. The flames died out quicker than they did the first time and Elfi appeared again, slightly older than she was a moment ago. "And my body slowly but surely returns me to the age I previously was."

"That's so cool!" Naruto exclaimed, wishing his body could do that.

"Not really, since I was eighteen I'm guessing I was probably 6. Now I think I'm eight," Elfi explained. She sighed. "It'll take hours for me to reach the age I was before!" Elfi shifted her clothes around. They were slightly too big for her, but she had to manage. "This sucks.."

"Elfi," Kakashi began. Elfi looked at Kakashi. "Just what clan are you from?" Elfi shrugged. "One day I was here and poof! I can just do special stuff I guess." Sasuke looked at Kakashi but Kakashi didn't have to ask Sasuke what that look was was going on with these strange new people.  
_  
'Just how did these people obtain techniques like the ones they possessed? Who are they really?' _Kakashi wondered

"Where is Refi?" Sasuke asked Elfi.

Elfi shrugged once more. "We came out here last night to find you and Naruto. We came upon this field and suddenly we were surrounded by fireflies! The fireflies were all over! I've never seen so many in one area!" Elfi explained. "When we made our way across, Tsu-sama looked weird so I was about to ask her what was wrong when all of a sudden, someone threw something sharp at my neck! Tsu-sama yelled my name and tried to help but she fell to the ground too." Elfi sighed. "The last thing I saw was some strange person pick up Tsu-sama and jump away!"

"Was it the tracker ninja that we saw carry off Zabuza's body?" Sakura asked.

Elfi thought carefully about this. "Now that you mention it, I think it was!"

Kakashi looked at Naruto, his eyes gleaming with victory. Naruto huffed and looked away. "I knew it," Kakashi replied. Everyone looked at him. "It was all because of those insects."

"You mean the fireflies?" Elfi questioned. "What did they do?"

"I've never a firefly in broad daylight either. I found this awfully suspicious," Kakashi explained. "I sensed a presence close to you and Refi so that's why I told you two to guard the bridge builder. To ensure his safety and to get you guys out of there. Based on what you told me as well, the enemy was using some kind of genjutsu last night and tricked you and Refi into a trap." Kakashi concluded.

"But what would that tracker ninja want with Refi?" Sakura wondered aloud.

Kakashi sighed and began explaining what he and Sasuke had concluded. "No! Tsu-sama!" Elfi yelled, running from squad 7.

"Hold on there," Kakashi said, grabbing the extra slack from Elfi's shirt.

"Let go Kakashi! I've got to resue Tsu-sama!" Elfi shouted, struggling to get free of his grasp.

"In the condition you're in, I don't think you'll be able to take on all 3 of them," Kakashi told Elfi.

Elfi turned around. "Never underestimate me!" Elfi exclaimed, her eyes burning once more.

"Look Elfi, we all know you're strong, but you're a kid now," Sasuke told Elfi, trying to cool her off.

"Are you prepared to kill Refi?" Kakashi asked Elfi as she was about to reply back to Sasuke. Elfi's attention shifted to Kakashi. "She is no longer your ally, she is your enemy. She serves Zabuza and Haku, who are trying to kill the bridge builder. Their mission is to kill the bridge builder at all costs even if it means killing others in the process," Kakashi explained. "Are you ready to kill your 'best friend'?"

Elfi didn't say anything back. She didn't what to say to him, or even what to do. One thing she was certian of. She was going to get Refi back on her side, no matter what it took. Refi became enraged.  
_  
'How dare they use her like this! Especially when she doesn't even know who she is!'  
_  
Kakashi could see that Elfi didn't have anything else to say. He sighed and began leading everyone back to Tazuna's house.  
_  
'They will know the real horror of fire once I get through with them!' _Elfi promised herself. The rest of the way back to Tazuna's house was pretty much quiet.

- - -

Haku led me into where Zabuza was. Zabuza commanded me to heal him at once. I obeyed. Though I regretted it. Once he was healed, he taught me may lessons. I stood there and took all that he was doing to me because I knew I deserved it. Once Zabuza was through with pounding these 'lessons' into my head, he threw a bucket of cold water all over my body. The wounds he inflicted healed but I was freezing.

"What is our next move?" Haku asked Zabuza, never taking his eyes off of me even for a second. I just sat there in the puddle of water, looking at my reflection in the water.

"We're going to kill the bridge builder and this time, we're going to get it right!" Zabuza exclaimed looking at me. I knew he was talking to me so I just nodded my head. Haku and Zabuza sat and discussed what their plan of action was going to be. They made me stay in the room and listen to what they were going o do. I obeyed and listened.

"Refi," Haku began. "Your going to kill that girl who used fire in the previous battle. The one that intervened and ruined everything." I looked up at Haku, horrified. I quickly tried to show no emotion.

"Why do you want me to kill her?' I questioned in a monotone.

"All I have to do is distract the brats however, that girl who uses fire be troublesome with my ice mirrors. Zabuza will already have his hands full with Kakashi." Haku explained. I looked back down at the ground, hiding my face so that Haku and Zabuza couldn't see how horrified and sick I felt right then and there.

"You will kill her, or I'll kill you," Zabuza threatened. I nodded my head once more. Haku walked over and threw my weapon pouch in front of me. I knew that somehow he retrieved it just for tomorrow. I didn't want to use this weapon against Elfi though.

Haku and Zabuza began discussing more about what they were going to do tomorrow. I knew I couldn't go through with this. I didn't give a damn if I died or not. I felt a real special connection with Elfi. It was a connection greater than the connection with Haku. I couldn't kill her. I didn't have the heart to do it. I hung my head lower. I knew that I had to find the strength to do it because if I didn't kill her, she could kill Haku. I knew that she could because I saw first hand what kind of small things she could do. I didn't want to see her use her full strength against Haku. I knew I had to do it. I knew I just had to. I dreaded the next day to come for with every passing second, it was getting closer to Elfi's death.


	7. If It Means A Lot To You

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT AND NOR WILL I EVER OWN ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH NARUTO JUST MAKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT. I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTERS I CREATE AGAIN, FOR MY/THE READERS ENTERTAINMENT ONLY! THANK YOU!**

- - -

**Stage 7: If it Means A lot to You**

Here I was. Ready to go fight. Ready to go kill at all costs. The thing that kept me going was Haku. All night I tried to hammer into my head that they were all nothing to me. Haku was everything. I needed to succeed today for Haku. To ensure his survival. This however kept me up all night long. Haku came into my room this morning and gave me a new set of clothes and even a mask. He knew that I was hurting because of this. He said that the mask and new clothes would hide my identity. Hopefully he was right. The days before we had prepared. We had to make sure we had everything to ensure our victory. So now, 4 days later, I was prepared and ready.

We hid from sight as we arrived at the bridge. We all looked but we saw no sign of the bridge builder at all. "Looks like we need to wait just a little bit longer," Haku concluded. I nodded but Zabuza seemed displeased.

"I came here to kill!" He yelled in a tone to where he wouldn't be noticed by the other bridge workers. "I'm going to kill now!" With that Zabuza disappeared and a moment later, we began hearing the sounds of men, yelling, screaming, moaning with pain. We hurried out to the bridge. Haku tried to help but Zabuza commanded Haku to stay out of it. This was going to be all for Zabuza.

We obeyed. I watched as he slaughtered man after man. To my surprise I didn't feel anything. Nothing. I wasn't even phased by the sight before me. I couldn't tell if that was a good sign or bad sign. After Zabuza had killed the last man, he sat down and began wiping the blood off his sword. Haku and I sat across from Zabuza. Haku chatted with me for a little bit. Haku shot up in the middle of our conversation.

"They're here," He said aloud. I put my mask on. Zabuza laughed his menacing laugh as we all jumped out of sight.

I listened. _'1...2...3...4. Only 4?'_ I wondered to myself.

"What?! My men!" I heard Tazuna exclaim. "What happened here?!" A heavy fog began emerging, covering the whole bridge with a fog so heavy, not even the great Kakashi could see through it well.

"Sasuke! Sakura!" Kakashi yelled.

"Right!" They both exclaimed knowing what him wanted them to do. Sasuke took Tazuna's left side and Sakura took his right. Kakashi stood in front of Tazuna.

"I knew he was still alive," Kakashi said aloud. "He just couldn't wait for round two." Haku signaled for me to wait.

Zabuza laughed. "So Kakashi, you still have those brats with you." Just then, 6 water clones surrounded Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna. The water clone looked up at Sasuke. "This one is still trembling," Zabuza noticed. "Pathetic.."

Sasuke smirked. This surprised Zabuza. "I'm trembling with, excitement."

"Go on Sasuke." Kakashi told Sasuke with a smile. And just like that, in the blink of an eye all the water clones were all destroyed. Haku moved next to Zabuza. I followed Haku, knowing it was going to be time soon.

"Ooh, you knew they were all water clones," The fog began to lift a little around us. "Looks like you have a rival, Haku." The fog around us was almost completely gone, revealing ourselves to them. I felt slightly relieved that I didn't see Donna with them.  
_  
'If she knows what's best for her, she won't even show,'_ I told myself.

"So it seems." Then before I knew it, Haku was fighting Sasuke. Zabuza was keeping Kakashi from helping Sasuke. I stood there and watched, waiting for a command from Haku. Suddenly, Haku began using his 1000 needles of death. I watched as the icicles raced towards Sasuke. Somehow he dodged it. I was guessing it was because he used his chakara and channeled it to his feet, enabling him to jump out of the way. The fog began to thicken and Zabuza signaled me to follow Haku so I did. Soon I faintly could see Zabuza. I stood and watched as Sasuke was beating Haku. Haku began to get serious.

He made hand signs and I knew what was coming. "Crystal Ice Mirrors!" Haku exclaimed. He stepped into the mirror and began attacking Sasuke. I could hear his screams of pain coming from inside the mirrors. This didn't phase me still. I knew that Sasuke was done for. No one, not even Zabuza or myself knew how to break or even get out of that prison. It was impossible. I could hear that Zabuza and Kakashi were beginning their fight. I was hoping this would all be over soon so that I could leave without killing anyone. Sasuke's screams became louder and louder. Still I felt nothing.

Just then, something unexpected happened. Naruto and Elfi appeared across from me. Haku came out of the mirrors and began to fight Naruto and Elfi.

I froze. _'Why the hell did she show up?! That idiot!' _I thought to myself. I knew what I had to do now. I ran full speed at Elfi and took a swing at her.

"Elfi!" Naruto yelled, taking a swing at me. I grabbed his fist and threw him full force at the mirror. I turned back to face Elfi. Before I could react, Elfi had two fans in her hands. She jumped up in the air and sliced my mask. I felt a sudden heat wave and then my mask fell from my face in two. Naruto stood back up and stared at me, eyes full of hatred, just like Sasukes'. "You!" He exclaimed, pointing at me. I ignored him. My eyes were fixed on Elfi. Her eyes were burning. Burning more than I saw them burning before. She was fired up. Haku began attacking Sasuke again. Naruto knew Elfi could take me on so he went into the mirrors in order to help Sasuke. I looked at Elfi and listened to Sasuke's and now Naruto's screams of pain. Still I was unfazed. I drew out my guns. I had already loaded them. I aimed them at Elfi. She held her fans up, ready to fight.

"I'm going to kill you now," I told her.

"Bring it on!" And just like that it began. I shot numerous rounds of bullets at her but she was easily dodged all of my attacks. As she drew closer, I drew back. I didn't want this to get too...messy.

"Phoenix claw jutsu!" Elfi exclaimed as I watched her perform her jutsu. He fans turned into two giant pairs of fire.

I smirked. "Fire is a major disadvantage against water," I told her. She didn't seem to care. She charged at me, full speed. I sighed. My hands began moving more swiftly than a fast flowing river.

"Water Dragon jutsu!" Out from the water, a dragon of water sprang and raced towards Elfi. Elfi and the dragon clashed. The outcome was obvious. Elfi had gotten swallowed up by the dragon. The dragon raced back to the water, with Elfi inside it. It landed in the water. I turned away as I heard the dragon hit the water. I knew Elfi was gone. I walked away from the water, proud to know that I could kill her.

Just then, the water that Elfi had landed in began to become violent. It shook and stirred with furry. I turned back to see a giant creature growing from out of the water. It looked like a giant fox. Elfi was standing on its head.  
_  
'She knows the summoning jutsu!?'_I asked myself. I became pissed, knowing this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. Elfi signaled for the fox to attack me. Its paw rose from the water and came racing towards me. I jumped out of the way. The fox destroyed huge chunk of the bridge. I began making hand sighs.

"Water vortex!" Water sprang from the river once more. It raced towards Elfi. The fox simply swatted the water from Elfi as if it was merely a splash of water. I began to panic.

Suddenly, I was knocked onto my face. Before I knew what was going on, I was spun around, laying on my back. One of my guns flew from my hand in the process. A fan was held to my neck as I held the other gun to Elfi's head, my finger tightly on the trigger. Her eyes were burning. The fox burst into flames, along with the clone that was on its head. Our eyes were locked with each others, waiting for someone to make the first move. Out of nowhere, Elfi began to cry. Her tears fell on my face and I watched as her face became twisted with pain. Tears ran off her face just like a waterfall.

"I can't do it," She said, breaking the silence. I looked at her shocked. She lifted the fan from my neck and threw it away. "I can't do it. You're my best friend. I don't want to watch you leave again..."

"Elfi..."

"Shoot me if you'd like, I don't care. I will not be forced to watch you die again." She told me through her sobs. "I can't watch that again. If it truly makes you happy, then kill me now!"  
Something triggered in my head. I began to remember clearly now what had happened. The last thing that happened before I came to here.

- - -

_"Man what is up with you?!" Sasukee Neko exploded. All eyes, even mine somehow were on Sasukee. I was a little bit in shock. I knew that Sasukee had some anger issues but she seemed really upset and angry. "Why are you acting like this?!" She demanded to know._ _began. "Like you just wanna be, or you even are a ghost when you're not!"  
_  
_"Like what?" I asked apathetically._ _"You. . . You used to be so happy," Aigo Ookami began tearing up a little. "There was hardly a time anyone, even yourself. You would never shut up!"_ _added. _

"Like you don't even wanna be around us!" Gaidoku Arikui

**'Are they all gonna gang up on me now?'** I wondered. Fear began to overwhelm me.

_"And now you're acting like you don't care what happens to anyone, even yourself anymore." Hekia Shishi added "That's not who you used to be." Hekia uttered. I just stood there not knowing what to say, wondering who would be next to say something to me._ _commented._ _"And I know that you aren't that type of person," Elfi said, cutting Gaidoku off._

_"You and I. We used to talk so much! Everyday you'd talk to me and Sasukee but now. ." I looked at Elfi's face. It was becoming twisted in pain. At that moment I felt something twist and turn within me._

_"Now it's like we're strangers." Fukachi Tora  
_  
_"What happened to change you like this? I may not know you as well as everyone else but this is certainly not you," Gojoteki Usagi said, tearing up as well._

_"So. ." I began. "It was me who did change all along." My words hit me like a ton of bricks. I could see everyone wanted me to say more but there was nothing more that I could think of to say._

_"Refi it's time for you to let go," Gaidoku began once more. I turned and looked at too looked as if he was in pain as well. He had all of our attention. "Something knocked you down and you've just stayed down."_

_"You may say you only never give up when it comes to training but I've seen you over the years and it's not just training. You gave 100% in anything and everything you did." Hekia began._

_"We all know that you refuse to give up, and you used to get right back up, no matter how hard you got knocked down!" Aigo yelled._

_"And now you're just giving up on everything in your life, like you have no will to go on anymore!" Sasukee added._

_"You're not alone either you don't have to do everything on your own we will help you through anything we stick together and we'll never give up on you, even if you are how you are now." Gojoteki promised._

_"But enough is enough. No more of this." Fukachi commanded._

_"It's time for you to get back up. If you need help we'll give you all the help you can possibly get. But Refi." Gaidoku began. I didn't know what to do. My mind was trying to register everything._

_"IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GET UP AND **STAND!" **Elfi exploded. Everyone, even I looked at her. We could clearly see that she was hurting._

_"Elfi. . ." Elfi said, shock consuming her. Elfi had never exploded like this ever before that Sasukee could remember. She knew that Elfi was really hurt. Shock appeared on everyone's faces. Curiosity consumed me.  
_**  
'What's so shocking?' **_I asked myself, not able to find my voice to speak. I panicked.**'My voice!' **Suddenly I felt something drip off my face. I touched where I felt something drip_. _It was drenched with something. I looked at my hand. It wasn't blood so what was it? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was crying. Shock and disbelief took over my body. I looked around at everyone's faces. Most of them were crying too. Suddenly I was able to feel again. And what I felt was one of the worst things I've ever felt. I knelt down to the ground, trying to catch my breath, trying to make this unbearable pain leave my body.__**  
**_

_Suddenly I felt the presence of everyone close to me. They had surrounded me. Most of them knelt down with me, hugging me while some others placed a hand on my back, trying to comfort me. I was shaking uncontrollably and I could no longer hear my sobs. I couldn't hear anything. My body became nub and for the first time, nothing was on my mind. It was all just blank. I looked up at the person in front of me, shaking me. It was Aigo. He was trying to say something to me but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I managed to be able to read his lips the best I could._

_"We're here for you Refi and we always will be." Tears just kept flying down my face faster than they have ever gone. I couldn't make them stop. I felt very dizzy and light headed._

_"I need air," I felt myself say. It was like I didn't say that, but my body as a reflex. Everyone backed off. I tried to get air but it was slowly slipping from my body. Something came up and out of my mouth. It tasted horrible. I stared at the ground._

_**'Wait that's not vomit. . . it's blood.'**_

_"Refi!" That was the last thing I managed to hear before I completely blacked out. My body felt cold and nub. My lips even started to turn purple. My heart became too overwhelmed with all the pain within me and I fell into a state of unconsciousness. _

- - -

I threw my gun away as Elfi did with her fan and I began to cry. I cried harder than I cried in that one incident. I reached up and hugged her. She hugged me back as we cried on each others' shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," I managed to say through my sobs. Elfi continued to cry. "I promise you that I will never, ever put you through something like that ever again!"

"You just don't know how much you mean to me!" Elfi yelled at me, banging her fist on my other shoulder.

"Yes.." I replied back. "Yes I do! I finally remembered what happened that night! And now I remember, how much you really do mean to me! You are my best friend!!!!"

And that was when I truly knew how much a person could mean to me. We sat there and cried for a while longer, knowing that we would not be forced to fight one another like we had ever again. I swore on my life at that moment that I will never hurt Elfi like I have hurt her now.


	8. The Downfall Of Us All

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT AND NOR WILL I EVER OWN ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH NARUTO JUST MAKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT. I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTERS I CREATE AGAIN, FOR MY/THE READERS ENTERTAINMENT ONLY! THANK YOU!**

- - -

**Stage 8: The Downfall of Us All**

Finally, we both found the strength to stop crying. Elfi stood up and offered a hand out to me. "Tsu-sama, no more tears!" Elfi said with a smile.

I smiled back. "It's hard to take you seriously when you're still crying yourself!" I exclaimed, taking her hand. She helped me up.

"The tears of sorrow are gone! These are tears of joy!" She explained to me. I nodded my head in understandment.

"Well then my tears are tears of joy too!" I said, crying again.

"Well then it's ok to cry!" Elfi yelled. We both began to laugh. Suddenly, we both felt the presence of something very evil. We stopped laughing and crying at that moment.

"What is that?" I said in a gasp.

"I think I may know." Elfi replied, staring off into the mist. I hadn't noticed it but the mist was actually much thicker now. Had Zabuza really needed to make the fog this heavy? Elfi pulled my arm in the opposite direction of where we felt the 'evil' coming from. "Trust me you don't wanna see what's going to happen," She said in a serious tone, dragging me with her.

"Why?" I asked, yanking my arm free. Just then, the presence became stronger and stronger until it reached its peak. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Come on Tsu-sama let's go!" Elfi said, grabbing my sleeve. I was about to go with her. That was until I heard a smashing sound. I stopped dead in my tracks. "Refi come on!!" Elfi said, trying to move me. I stood there, frozen. I heard smashing noise after smashing noise until I could hear it no longer. This really worried me.  
_  
'Could they have found a way to break Haku's mirrors?!' _I wondered. I broke away from Elfi and broke into a sprint into the direction of where I felt the presence. A wall of fire blocked my path and Elfi stood before it.

"Refi I'm sorry but you can't go that way trust me it's for the best!" Elfi tried to convince me. My mind was too wrapped around the idea of Haku for me to listen to her. My hands began moving again but this time I wasn't doing it voluntary.

"Water Vortex!" This time, Elfi jumped out of the way as the vortex created a hole in the wall of fire. "I'm sorry!" I screamed as I ran through the hole. My legs carried me to where I felt the pretense. I looked with horror. Fragments of ice lay scattered on the ground. "Haku's mirrors...."

Suddenly, a thud sound brought me out of my thoughts and back to reality. I found myself running once more to where I heard the noise. I stopped briefly and looked around.

"Strange...The fog has been slightly lifted," I noticed. I began hearing the sound of what sounded like a group of dozens of birds. I looked in the direction of where I heard this noise. I saw a faint blue glow. I began walking forward to it to only be stopped.

"Refi please listen to me," Elfi pleaded as she stood in front of me, blocking my way. "If you see what's over there well...I don't know what you're going to do once you see it!"

"Elfi please let me pass," I began pleading to her. I could tell she was scared. What was it that she didn't want me to see? "I'll be able to handle it. You can trust me."

Elfi gave me a skeptical look but then began to speak once more. "I'll let you see if and only if I come with you, understand?" I nodded my head in understandment. I could now see fear and worry in her eyes. This was getting me scared too. We walked forward and as we walked, the fog began to clear more and more. Finally I was able to see almost everything. Kakashi and Zabuza were still fighting but Zabuza was banged up pretty bad. I knew he was finished. I saw Sakura standing in front of the bridge builder and Naruto standing a little bit farther from Sakura. Sakura looked as if she was going to cry.

Suddenly she raced past Naruto and past Elfi and I. I looked back to see where she was running but Elfi had the same expression on her face as Naruto did. I shrugged and turned around. I scanned the area more. At that moment it felt as if my heart had stopped. I began sprinting forward, Elfi sprinting right behind me. I stopped and looked at the ground, horrified at what I saw. There Haku laid, not moving, not breathing. Panic washed over my body.

"Haku!" I cried out as i dropped to my knees beside him. "Haku! Come on Haku! You can't die! You can't leave me!!!!!" Tears fell from my face more and I cried over Haku's body. Elfi put a hand on my back and began to try to comfort me.

"I'm sorry that this happened Tsu-sama," Elfi began. "But you can't change what's been done. Haku's gone now..."

My hands began moving swiftly once more. "Prayer jutsu!" Water from the river shot up and encased Haku's body with water. The water dropped from Haku's body moments after it touched Haku's body. "It's not working!??" I screamed at myself. I didn't give up. I did my prayer jutsu again and again and still it had the same effect. Elfi grabbed one of my hands, stopping me from attempting anymore.

"It's not working Refi," Elfi spoke to me in a serious but soft tone. "I'm sorry Refi but not even your healing powers can bring back the dead..." We both began to hear sobs coming from back in the distant. We turned our heads to where we heard the sobs coming from. "Sakura..." Elfi mumbled. Just like Sakura, I wept over Haku's body, wanting him to come back more than anything at that moment. Elfi looked at my back as I continued to weep. "You still got me here Tsu-sama, and I'll always be here for you, I promise."

This didn't make me feel better. I cried and cried for what seemed to be eternity. I didn't want to face the truth.

"Naruto! Sasuke's alright!" Sakura exclaimed as she ran to where Naruto was. Naruto turned and looked as Sasuke held up a had, indicating he was ok.

"Sasuke," Naruto uttered as he began to tear up, glad to see his friend was still alive. Everyone began to notice that the fog was starting to clear.

"You're finished," Kakashi told Zabuza. Zabuza looked over at me, knowing there was nothing I could do to help him because I was too preoccupied with Haku. Zabuza looked at Kakashi with neither fear nor despair but looked upon him with hatred. He began cursing Kakashi, myself and even Haku. Just then, the man that Zabuza and Haku was working for, Gato, showed up out of nowhere. Everyone but me looked at him with his new group of thugs. Everyone tensed.

"Looks like Kakashi beat you good Zabuza," Gato began. "So much for the big bad demon of the mist!" Gato walked over to where Haku's body was. Elfi glared at him, her eyes burning him, damning him to hell. Gato looked at Haku's body and smiled. He began kicking Haku's head. "You little brat! You broke my hand!"

I swiftly grabbed Gato's leg and I squeezed it. He let out screams of pain and began hitting me with the stick cane he was carrying. I squeezed his leg until I could hear cracking of his bones. I sunk my nails so deep in his skin that his bone began showing a little.

"If you so much as ever look at Haku again," I began. ".," I promised him menacingly emphasising every word. I released Gato's leg and he limped back to the front of his thugs. Terror filled his eyes. He never looked away from me.

"You want us to kill her boss?" A thug standing next to him asked.

It took Gato a second to snap out of it. He smirked and looked back at Zabuza. "As of now Zabuza, you are fired."

"Tsu-sama..." Elfi whispered, grabbing my shoulder.

I turned and looked at her, still glaring. She flinched back. Her face became filled with terror as well.  
_  
'That look...I've never seen that look...'_Elfi told herself. _'Never in my life have I seen such a....bloodthirsty...menacing...hating look.....What's going on with her?'_

Something didn't feel right at all to me. I felt as if I were...slipping. I was too angry, too hurt to think clearly. This was something I never felt before. I was frightened too. But somehow, I couldn't control it. I felt as if something was taking over me. I looked at Elfi's face. She looked scared beyond belief. Just what is so scary? I tried to speak but when I spoke, they weren't my words.

"Just what the hell do you want?"

Elfi flinched again. _'Something isn't right at all! That....'  
_  
"You're not Tsu-sama......"

This time I flinched at hearing this. I flinched, yet my body didn't move. Just what the hell was going on here? I felt myself smirk.  
_  
'Strange...I don't feel like smirking...Why am I smirking??'_Elfi gazed at me. She stared deep into my eyes, her eyes burning as if trying to burn into me.  
_  
'Those eyes....They're definitely not Tsu-sama....There's...There's no light in them at all! Where did Tsu-sama's light go?!'_

"Stop him! Kill him!" Both Elfi and I looked over at Gato. He seemed scared out of him mind. Zabuza had removed his bandages that covered his mouth and had somehow gotten a kunai knife in the process. We watched as Zabuza plowed into the huge mob. Surprisingly, he was killing more than we expected. Finally, he broke through and had Gato cornered. Zabuza began stabbing Gato. He was saying stuff to him but we couldn't really tell what it was he was saying. Zabuza pushed Gato off the bridge. Then Zabuza was stabbed repeatedly in the back. He dropped the kunai in his mouth and began to limp back to where Haku was the best that he could. He fell before he could reach Haku.

Kakashi walked over to Zabuza and they had some kind of conversation. In the end, Kakashi ended up picking up Zabuza and carried him over to Haku. Elfi and I just stared at Zabuza. I was smirking, as if happy to see him dying. But I didn't feel happy.

"Girl...I am sorry for everything I have done to you. My time has come to an end." Zabuza told me as he stared at Haku. I said nothing but my smirk increased.

Zabuza said his final goodbyes at Haku and that was it. He was dead. I began laughing.

"Tsu-sama??" Elfi asked confused  
_  
'Why am I laughing?? I'm not happy!'_ I yelled at myself. I tried to regain control of my body but somehow I wasn't able to. _'What?? Why can't I-'  
__**  
'Control your body??' **_I continued laughing. This new voice scared me. _**'Who am I? Why am I here? That's what you want to ask me don't you?' **_I stopped laughing and was smirking. Everyone was looking at me as if I was crazy. My mind went blank. I had no idea what to do. _**'Who I am is not important. You're too weak. You're weakness drew me out and now I'm here to stay! Things are going to start changing and I'm going to start calling the shots!!'  
**_  
Gato's thugs began making threats. All the towns people and squad 7 all were ready to fight the thugs. They got scared and began fleeing.  
_**  
'Witness my power!'**_

My body shot up and charged after the thugs. "You won't escape!" My body yelled. I was scared. I had no idea what to do. All I could do was watch. My hands began moving swiftly. I clapped my hands together and reached out and grabbed the first victim I could reach.

"Ah! Let go!" The man pleaded. I began laughing, menacingly. The thugs who were still on the bridge turned as watched what I was doing to the man I grabbed.

"Life-Drain jutsu!" The man began screaming in pain. He screamed louder and louder. His body looked as if there was a raging whirlpool inside him. The thugs became horrified and fled faster than they came. Others were too much in shock to register what was going on. The man exploded. Blood showered over my body. I held in my hand a glowing white ball no bigger than a small water balloon. I held my hand out and gazed at it, ass if I was trying to get the image in my head.

The smell of blood was sicking. I wanted to vomit but I couldn't. I laughed again. The ball began to sink into my hand until it was fully gone. I looked up at the other victims. I grinned a wicked grin. As I was about to make my second charge, something hard hit my head, knocking me face first into the ground.

"Run!"

They didn't have to be told twice. Soon all the thugs were gone. I slowly got to my knees and looked at my hands.  
_  
'I can move my hands. I'm back in control.'_

"Tsu-sama..?"  
_**  
'I'm not gone,'**_I froze as I heard this voice echo in my head. I looked around frantically. Elfi looked at me, concerned. She bent down and was saying something to me. I couldn't hear what she was saying, I could only see her lips moving. _**'I will forever be here and trust me..I will be in control again!'**_

I clutched my head. "Shut up.."

"What's wrong with you Tsu-sama??" Elfi questioned, shaking my body.

"Shut up and go away!!" I screamed. A dark chuckle rippled through my head. It became too much. I blacked out and felt pain. All I could do now, was smell the blood that surrounded me.


	9. Here Comes Goodbye

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing at all except the fan made characters I create and nothing else at all. All copy rights go back to the original creators of Naruto. That is all.

Update! Sorry about waiting for so long post this chapter! I've been writing a lot and well here it is I guess. Sorry if it's short I just kinda wrote it so yea...I'll stop rambling. Please Review and share your thoughts with me, I'd love to hear them! ^^

**Stage 9: Here Comes Goodbye**

Slowly I was able to regain consciousness. A bright light blinded me, causing me to shield my eyes until they adjusted to the light. Voices were around me but I wasn't able to make out quite clearly what they were saying. "Tsu-sama!" My eyes slowly adjusted to the light and scenery around me. Everything was a blur but soon it was all clear. Well, at least my vision was. "How are you feeling Tsu-sama?" I began looking around the room in a daze. The only person in the room, aside from me, was Elfi. I gazed at her, my eyes glazed over with apathy."Tsu-sama?" Elfi questioned softly with her eyes asking me if I was alright with deep concern.

Then I was finally able to remember."Ha..Haku."

Elfi flinched. She struggled to keep cheerful appearance. "What about him?" She tried to ask in cool but peppy voice. I sensed her forcing to be happy.

_'Was she trying to be happy because of me?'_My gazed shifted towards the ceiling. "It wasn't a dream, was it?" Silence answered my question. "It was all real... Haku's really not coming back, is he?" Again silence answered what I had hoped to be a lie, to be a bad dream. I wasn't able to hold it in any longer. Grief and sorrow flooded throughout every inch of my body, from the tip of my eye lashes down to my smallest fibers in my toe nails. I silently began to cry, staring out the window at the clouds, watching them all float away from me. Just like Haku had. He had slipped through my , I couldn't bring myself to blame Elfi for Haku's death. _'The only one I can blame is myself. I wasn't there for him when he needed me the most. And for that costly mistake, because I made one too many mistakes, this was the final price I paid. Losing him, forever.'_ I began to sob uncontrollably and my breathing became irregular. Though I could feel myself panting, I wasn't exactly able to hear myself sob. I became numb. _'Again I hear nothing but the silence...'_

Suddenly, the sound of Elfi's soft yet rough voice brought my senses back to me. "He may be gone Tsu-sama," Elfi began. "But he'll always be alive right here," Elfi told me as she pointed to my heart. I watched her hand closely. "He will always be near and with you as long as you keep his memories alive." Elfi uttered. Quickly I glanced up at her only to see her face in pain but somehow she was able to show me a sympathetic smile at the end of her philosophy. Tears came faster and raced harder down my cheek. "But Tsu-sama," My gaze shifted towards her eyes, locked onto them. Desperate for her to say anything to break the endless silence I was so accustomed to hearing. Say something that might help sooth my grief. As our eyes made contact I could feel Elfi's sorrow and grief. She was actually starting to cry. But was it because she was upset about Haku like I was or was it because I was crying? I was hurt. Yet her smile never faded from her face, in fact it began to grow with her eyes forming into what appeared to be a smile as well. "You'll always have me here with you from now on!" Elfi promised through her tears with a childish giggle.

At that moment, I don't know what really happened. My body shot straight up and lunged at Elfi. My arms automatically wrapped around her neck for support as I cried on her shoulder and let out all of my emotions. My tears seem to be uncontrollable as I cried for what seemed to be forever. Elfi responded to my action by wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace as she silently cried along with me. She tried to calm me down by stroking my back and telling me about how things were only going to get better but I could hardly hear what she was trying to tell me. My sobs were so loud I could only hear bits and pieces of her muffled voice. However, I was able to feel her stroking my back, doing her best to comfort me in any way that she could. I silently thanked my lucky stars that I had a person in my life like Elfi. Without her, who knows what would have happened if Haku had died and I was all alone. Somehow, this began to trigger something else in my head. Alone. Loneliness. Solitude. Something was familiar about those feelings but I just wasn't able to remember them at that moment. I wasn't able to really think about anything but my own sorrow.

"Ahem." Suddenly I tore myself away from Elfi as if trying to hide the fact that I was trying to let someone help me. As if I was committing a crime by showing my emotions. Elfi smiled and wiped her tears from her face. Mine remained. Somehow they always seemed to remain. "Sorry we didn't mean to um, interrupt anything," Kakashi replied laughed. "Well you didn't really interrupt anything we were just about done here anyways right Tsu-sama?""Right," I replied softly as I wiped my tears from my face. I knew no matter how many times I tried to wipe my tears away, there would always be a permanent trail burned into my skin, leaving a reminder for three leaf genin entered silently entered the room and stood behind Kakashi. I glanced at them. I didn't see hatred in their eyes but remorse. What could they be so upset about? It seemed pretty strange to me that all of them, even the loud-mouthed Naruto, were all silent.

"What do you need Kakashi-sensi?" Elfi questioned, breaking the silence like she always did. Suddenly I could feel the unease and tension that filled the atmosphere. It was so thick someone could have easily cut the air with a kunai and still the tension and unease would spoke first, knowing that his genins were still uneasy about everything.

"We buried Haku and Zabuza so our business here is done."

"You did what?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath. All eyes locked on me that moment. I stared at Kakashi as if trying to convince myself that I didn't hear what he had just told me. It couldn't be true. "You did what?" I repeated.

"Refi, you've been out for about 3 days now we had no choice but to bury them, their bodies were already decomposing." Kakashi tried to explain.

"You had no right in doing that!" I exploded, my body trembling with sudden rage. "You are the ones who murdered them, what gives you any right to kill the people that I love and then go and do something like this? You should have just left I would have done it myself!"

"Just shut up you." Naruto began in a venomous tone. "We had no right in doing it you say? We are murderers you say? What makes you any different from us! You're a ninja too and you've slain your fair share of people! Innocent people who had lives ahead of them like Haku did!"

"Don't you dare bring that up! You don't know me!"

"I may not know you but I understand!" Naruto's tone dropped to a dark sorrow filled tone. "Haku was an innocent soul. If he had never met Zabuza maybe he'd be alive but maybe he wouldn't. And the same goes for you. The only reason why you stuck with Haku or Haku stuck with Zabuza is because of loneliness." My heart skipped a beat. "Zabuza was the only person that accepted Haku for who he was and didn't shun him like everyone else and then Haku showed you the same sympathy! You didn't want to be alone and neither did Haku. We had every right to bury them both! Even though they tried to kill us in the end they all were just poor souls who just wanted acceptance, who wanted to show the world of their existence, just like you. And me."

For once I looked into Naruto's eyes and I saw the same thing I always see in me. Desperation. Loneliness. Sorrow. But I saw something in him that I didn't see in myself, hope. Determination. Fire. Just like Elfi. In a way Naruto and Elfi were exactly the same. They were both so passionate and so dedicated to their dreams and their companions. I tore my eyes away from his and sighed, trying to understand their actions as they somehow understood mine.

"Would you like us to take you to Haku and Zabuza before we head back to the leaf?" Kakashi asked me.

"Yes I would like to see them."Through the whole time I was talking to the leaf shinobi I somehow managed to clutch onto Elfi's arm. I released my grasp on Elfi. I had broken through her skin. I looked up at her to see that she was still smiling even though I knew pretty well that she was in a lot of pain. I was very strong and at times I didn't realize what I could do with my strength. My hands moved swiftly."Prayer jutsu," I uttered. My chakara drew the water particles to my hand like metal to a magnet. The leaf shinobis gazed in awe as it appeared I had pulled out the water out of thin air. Enough water gathered around my hands to fix up Elfi's arm. I pulled my hand off her arm and held my hands over the bed, letting the water fall to the floor rather than getting us both soaked.

"Thanks Tsu-sama it feels so much better now!" Elfi exclaimed, her eyes closing in an upward smile.

"Sorry about hurting you in the first place I never realized that I was even touching you."Elfi and I looked at each other for a long moment then she burst out with her heart warming laughter."What's so funny?" I demanded to know.

"Look at your face with your hair like that!" Elfi managed to tell me through her laughter. I picked up a table side mirror and looked at myself. I squealed and shot up from my bed and ran into the bathroom, trying to hide the way I looked. Elfi began rolling around laughing. Somehow, Naruto and Sakura couldn't help but join in on the laughter with Elfi. Kakashi chuckled taking out his Make out Paradise book and Sasuke smiled for change.

I had cleaned myself up I was able to check out of the hospital. Squad 7 led Elfi and I to Haku and Zabuza's grave. I stared at the little piles of dirt and the flowers placed around them with a rock in front of both piles of dirt, probably there as their tombstones. The only thing wrong with them was the fact the tombstones were blank. I realized was wrong to say they had no right to bury them. They had as much right to bury them as I did.

"Elfi, do you have a kunai knife on you?" I questioned."Yeah why?" Elfi asked pulling her kunai knife out of her pouch, handing it to me. I silently took it and after asking which one was Haku's and which was Zabuza's began carving into the stones. On each I inscribed their names, when they died and a little something about them. After I was done I dropped the kunai knife and just stared at the tombstone.

"Tsu-sama," Elfi uttered, kneeling down next to me hugging me close. I knew Elfi was trying to make me feel better but I still couldn't stop the tears from flowing. This was it. Haku and Zabuza were officially gone. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. Elfi had promise that she'd never leave me but I knew she was going to; after all she was a leaf shinobi. She had to return to the leaf or trackers would hunt her down and kill her.

"Let us have a moment of silence for Haku and Zabuza." Kakashi commanded. Everyone folded their hands together in and closed their eyes. Even Elfi did. I couldn't close my eyes. I just wanted to stare at the dirt, hoping to see Haku pop out of the dirt. The tears began burning my eyes, disabling me to blink. My eyes hurt but the pain wasn't as deep as the cut in my heart. It felt as if an old wound had been reopened and now nothing was stopping the blood from oozing out slowly, as if my life would drain away slowly and everything in reality seemed to stop. The leaves stop fluttering through the breeze and the birds remained stationary in the position they were in. There was no wind at all as well. Elfi's arms were like stones, both cold and hard. I tried to pull them off me but no matter how much I tried they stayed in place. I turned my head to see the leaf shinobis were all in the same position as I last saw them. No one but I was breathing.  
_**  
'Quit your pitiful whining.'**_ My body froze in place. _**'I can't believe I'm stuck with such a weak, worthless host. You're a shinobi; we do not have emotions let alone show any of them at any time.'  
**__'I am a shinobi yes. I have learned well the ways of the shinobi but if Haku had taught me one thing to always remember. Never let go of who you are. Even though I am a shinobi, I am human, I have a heart and I will not become the monster people will see me as because of my abilities.'_

A dark chuckle rippled through my body, shaking it. _**'Human you say you are? What an arrogant girl you are. Haku claimed that he was human as well yet look where that got him. If he would have just let Zabuza die, he could have lived to fight another day. He sacrificed himself for nothing because in the end they both died, leaving you in this state.' **_I gasped and held my breath. _**'Sacrificing yourself isn't noble nor in it rewarding. You die in the place of another who will one day die eventually so in the end you died for nothing. You will soon come into the realization with this and what you truly are. But always remember this. You are a shinobi. Trust no one but yourself and live for yourself alone. One day you will learn the truth of what you really are but for now I'll leave you with the thought of being human.'**_

_'Just who or what the hell are you to be telling me what I am and what I'm not? Who the hell are you to order me around like this? I am me and I will not take orders from the likes of someone who doesn't see the value in life other than the one you're living. You live a cold, sad life and I pity you. I don't care what you say, I have a heart and that's the thing that makes me human even if my appearance or my abilities may fool others but I have a heart and that's all that matters!'_

_**'You really believe that do you? What a fool you are. You will learn the true nature of this world and we'll see if what you say is true. Know this. I am a part of you. You and I are linked forever and I will never vanish from existence. For now, you're in control of this body but once you're at your weakest I will take over and lock away this weaker half. I will become the strongest shinobi in history! Not even you or your precious heart can stop me. That will be your downfall. You're heart!'**_

Suddenly things began moving again. The birds fled from the trees, as if they had witnessed what had just happened. The wind began whipping me in the face and leaf shinobis opened their eyes. Reality seemed to be so much warmer than when it was stopped. It became hard for me to breathe. I began to fall over. Before I hit the ground, my hands broke my fall. Sweat dripped down my face and my breathing became irregular. _'What the hell was that?'_ I wondered.

"Refi what's wrong with you!" Elfi exclaimed, yanking me back to my knees. She spun my body around and forced me to look at her. Her eyes and hands were frantic as she took in my appearance. I snapped out of my daze and regained control of my composure.

"Nothing's wrong, nothing at all." Suddenly I felt myself smiling at Elfi. She looked pretty shocked, as if she didn't ever expect me to smile again. I could feel her relaxing a little bit. I gazed up at the leaf shinobis. They all too seemed very confused. I picked myself up out of the dirt and offered my hand out to Elfi. She took it and I helped her out of the dirt. I gazed out to the sunset. "The sun sets and the world becomes its darkest state," I began. "But in time the sun always rises again, the light will never vanish. Never." I declared as if convincing myself of the inevitable. I could feel the eyes of everyone around me. They were of confusion but I could not sense hatred or hostility in any of them, maybe they see me as a person now that I showed them I have a heart.


	10. Summer Nights

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing at all except the fan made characters I create and nothing else at all. All copy rights go back to the original creators of Naruto. That is all.

Update! I'll be posting all the chapters I have completed so this should be interesting I suppose. Please read and review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I can do to improve this story, Arigato!~

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**Stage 10: Summer Nights**

Nighttime came and the leaf shinobi decided to stay in the mist for one more night before they headed home. I didn't really have a place to call home anymore. The hideout Haku, Zabuza and I had stayed in had belonged to Gato but now that Gato was gone, I could no longer use it so I couldn't offer my new friends a place to stay for the night. I felt like a freeloader, tagging along with them and staying with them in a place they had to pay for themselves.

During the middle of the night I managed to sneak out, no longer able to bear the pain that was bottling up inside me. I couldn't stand the thought of knowing that I couldn't offer them anything in return to their hospitality. Before I left I thought over what that mysterious voice had told me. I was scared but I didn't want anyone else getting involved with my affairs anymore. I had already lost 2 people close to me and I wasn't going to lose anymore because I was too weak to do anything. I feared what the voice had told me was true. I was weak and maybe one day it would take control of my body forever. I knew then I needed to get stronger. I needed to get stronger not only for myself but for those around me as well. I left a note where I hoped they'd all find, which explained my actions to some extent. I didn't want to reveal too much. I didn't know that much myself. Without another sound, I took my leave.

On instinct I arrived at Zabuza and Haku's grave after a few minutes. I walked to the tree that they been buried under and sat down beneath it, being seated in-between Haku and Zabuza's grave. I stared at the piles of dirt. The flowers had begun to wither but in its place little blades of grass started to emerge from the dirt. I looked up at the stary night and cried, the moonlight making my tears sparkle like one of the stars in the sky. I closed my eyes and began to relive all the memories that I had of Haku and Zabuza.

"My, my what do we have here?"

My eyes snapped open and my eyes zeroed in on the voice that tore me from my memories. I wiped the tears from my eyes and glared at the 3 men that stood before me.

"Now what's a pretty little thing like you doing all the way out here?" The one to the right questioned.

"Beat it," I replied coldly.

"Sassy! I love a girl with attitude!" The one in the middle exclaimed. I noted the half empty bottles in their hands.

"Haven't seen your face around here," the one on the left began. "Yet you carry the head band of a mist shinobi!"

"Beat it," I repeated, my gaze turning into a cold icy stare.

"You're cute when you're pissed off." The middle one noted, taking a step towards me. The others followed his lead.

"Beat it or else," I threatened.

"Or what girl? You think you can take on 3 mist chunin!" The one on the right challenged.

"Why don't you hang with us for a bit, we won't show you a bad time," The one on the left offered as he hiccupped.

"You've all had too much to drink." I began, the 3 chunin closing in on me. "Don't say I didn't warn you." With that I took out my guns and began firing, hoping I could scare them off without killing them. To my surprise, even though they were drunk they were able to dodge.

"That's a funny weapon you've got girl, it's mine now!" the middle one exclaimed jumping at me. I jumped up as well, round house kicking him square in the gut causing him to fly off the hill that we stood on.

"Huyzu!" One of them cried out.

"You little bitch!" The other exclaimed, charging at me.

I sighed and got into my fighting stance. Suddenly the one charging at me stopped dead in his tracks. This surprised me. I began firing off some rounds and all the bullets hit their mark. I smirked as I watched the body falling. Suddenly the body turned into a ball of smoke. The smoke cleared seconds later to reveal a wooden log that hit the ground.

"Substitution?"

"Water style, Rising twin missiles!" My head snapped toward the direction from where I heard the voice. Water missiles flew towards me faster than I could react. The twin missiles hit me dead on and trapped me inside the water. Suddenly the missiles sprang high up in the air. "Now for the grand finale!" The man released most of his chakara and the missiles exploded in the air, as if they were watery fireworks. The damage to my body was more than I thought I could handle. I fell from the sky like the water began to fall down like rain. My body collided with the Earth, taking my breath away.

"Water style, duo crucifix restraint!" Water sprang to life once more and wrapped around my body. Suddenly my body rose up on its own. I struggled to break free of the hold they had on me but I was paralyzed. A water shaped cross held me up in the air, my hands and feet trapped in the water-shaped cross.

"Nice work Yatsumeko and Kiinwou." Huyzu praised, appearing at the top of the hill once more. He stopped and spat out blood. "I'll give you credit girl, you've got massive strength but it won't do you any good anymore." Fear crept into my heart as I knew I was trapped. Huyzu walked slowly towards me, as if taunting me. He stopped right in front of me. "What happened to that big talk you had just a while ago?"

Yatsumeko laughed. "I think she looks way cuter scared out of her mind!"

Huyzu took out a kunai knife and held it up high. "Yatsumeko, Kiinwou, I think the restraint is too lose on her, why don't you tighten it up?"

Wicked smiles spread across Yatsumeko and Kiinwou's face. Suddenly I felt massive pressure overwhelming my hands and feet. I could feel my hands breaking under all the pressure but somehow I couldn't feel my legs. I began screaming, unsure of how to cope with this sudden flashes of pain coursing throughout my body. I hung my head low and gasped for air.

Abruptly, I felt a hand grab a fist full of my hair and jerk my head back upwards. "I don't think so," Huyzu stated, running the kunai knife in his hand across my face, gasping at the coldness of the metal. I cried out once more, feeling the cold steel slowly digging its way into my face. Blood began slowly oozing down my face. I screamed and screamed but nothing I did had any effect. With my last reserves of strength I snapped my teeth at Huyzu's hand, successfully biting into it. "Argh! Why you little brat!" I felt Huyzu's other fist connecting with my head several times but I knew I had to hold on to his hand. My vision became blurred from Huyzu hitting my head and the blood gushing out of my head that also contributed to clouding my vision. I felt the pressure coming back to my hands and feet, more pressure than I've ever felt.

I screamed until I had no voice left. Huyzu looked at his hand and became furious. Everything in my body felt numb and I just let my body hang, no longer having the strength to do anything. I wondered why my special ability wasn't working. Usually when water touched my body it healed me, yet this water did nothing but cause me a great deal of pain. My head was jerked upwards once more and I felt the coldness of the kunai knife on my neck.

"How dare you bite me you filthy child!" Huyzu exclaimed. I closed my eyes and waited to feel the cold steel run through my throat. Huyzu eyed my mist head band Haku had given to me and ripped it off my leg. My eyes snapped open and a newfound strength was coursing through me.

"Give that back to me, NOW!" I exclaimed, fighting against my restraints. Huyzu smirked wickedly, knowing he had found the one thing that meant something to me. He laughed and dangled the head band out in front of my face and watched as I struggled as hard as I could against my restraints. Yatsumeko and Kiinwou joined in as well for they knew my efforts were all in vain. "Give it back! Give it back! GIVE IT BACK!" No matter how loud I screamed they all drowned my voice out with the sound of their laughter. Huyzu threw my head band up in the air, I watched in horror as it came down. Huyzu rose his kunai knife and began slicing the head band into pieces. The last slice he cut the metal that carried the mist symbol in two pieces. I watched as the fabric floated away with the wind and listened as the two halves of the metal hit the ground. My hopes were crushed.

I began crying once more, knowing that for once I was absolutely powerless._ 'I'm so weak…I'm too weak…Haku, Zabuza, I failed.'_ My head hung low once more as the tears flew off my face, only to be replaced with a new trail of tears.

"Don't worry little girl, we'll put you out of your misery soon enough!" Huyzu promised. Huyzu raised his kunai knife high once more.

I squeezed my eyelids shut and braced myself. _'Haku… I'm coming.'_

"Waugh!"

I slowly opened my eyes to find that it wasn't myself who was screaming this time, it was Huyzu.

"Take this you creep!"

Suddenly, Huyzu was flying through the air back down the hill once more.

"You little brat we'll show you!" Before my mind could register what was going on my restraints were loosened and I was falling to the ground, along with the rest of the water. I hit my head on the ground, passing out before I could understand what was going on.

My eyes opened only to find that I was surrounded in complete darkness. _'Where did the stars and moon go? Where's anything?'_ I couldn't seem to see anything at all, not even my own hand. _'Am I dead?'_

_**'You might as well be.'**_ I turned my head round and round again and again yet I still couldn't see the slightest thing, no matter where I turned. **_'You're so pathetic. Beaten by a lowly class of wimps.'_**

_'Shut up. I don't need to be lectured by you right now.'_

**_'Fine suit yourself then. I was only trying to help you out.'_**

_'What the hell are you talking about? You've been trying to bring me down for days now!'  
_  
**'If that is what you believe then believe whatever you wish. It is truly pitiful watching how someone with such potential can be beaten so easily.'  
**  
_'Just what are you suggesting?'_

**'I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying that you have so much power, power I can give to you yet you do nothing with it.'  
**  
_'There is no way in hell that I'd ever let a ruthless monster like you use me like a puppet.'_

**'You can have power beyond you're wildest dreams! You can be so much more stronger, you can beat anyone who stands in your way! Just submit to me and all this power will be yours. You'll never know the sting of defeat and loss!'  
**  
_'I don't care. I won't take power from you if it means I have to kill innocent people!'_

**_'So you're attackers were innocent were they? They nearly killed you! With my power you can easily take down anyone who stands in your way! You can even protect the ones you have these feelings of love towards!'_**

I was speechless. I didn't know what else to say. I knew better than to think everyone in this world was kind. There is good and evil and so far I've come into contact with more evil than good. _'I don't want to obtain power that way. I want to obtain it on my own. I want to be stronger on my own by training until I've become stronger! I want to protect my friends with my strength not yours!'_

**'What an arrogant girl you are. I can't believe the likes of myself got stuck with such a weak host.'**

'Just what the hell are you?'  
**  
'Well, seeings how you and I stuck with one another you should learn the name of the person who will be in control. I am your anigeka form.'**

'Anigeka?'

As if on cue, the mysterious voice I had been hearing had finally revealed itself to me. I finally had a face to picture him with. **_'I am called Gogyou. I don't care if you think you're going to get stronger but the fact remains you will always be weak in my eyes. I am growing stronger and it's only a matter of time before I am able to take control.'_**

I stared at Gogyou for a long moment. He wasn't what I had imagined at all. He actually looked like a human but his looks weren't fooling me. He was a demon. _'Say what you think Gogyou, I honestly don't give a damn. There's no way I'd let the world be at mercy by your hand. I won't allow it!'_

Gogyou folded his arms and laughed in my face. He didn't have the least bit of concern, as if he was taking what I had said as a joke. **_'This is your fate. You cannot escape your destiny. I will become you and you will become me. We will become one and only the strongest will remain in control. I have no doubt in my mind that I will be the strongest.'_**

_'Say what you want but I have the power to shape my own path, mold my own destiny! I don't have just one path to follow, I will break away from that path and create a new path for myself because I'm in control, not you, not destiny, not anyone or anything!'_

Again Gogyou laughed in my face. He didn't seem to care what I thought. He acted like he knew what was going to happen and he found enjoyment in watching me suffer. There was no way I could ever let the likes of something like him lose on the world.

A sudden bright light immobilized my vision and I heard a new yet familiar voice.

"Refi! Refi come on open up your eyes!" I could feel my body being shaken rapidly. "REFI!"

I knew that I had regained conscientiousness yet I couldn't see anything. Everything was still black. "Who…Who's calling me? Who has me? Let go!" I began flailing, trying to break the hold on whoever had me.

"Refi! Refi stop it's me! Naruto!" Naruto exclaimed, trying to restrain me.

"Naruto?" I froze where I was and suddenly I felt the pain of the damage that was inflicted on me not too long ago. I cringed in pain.

"Yes it's Naruto! Try not to move around too much you took a lot of damage you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you but I can't see you!" I yelled in a panic.

"You're looking at me though, I can see you're eyes." Naruto explained.

"I can only hear your voice. Naruto you've got to get me to a river, lake, stream, pond or the closest water source now!"

"K, just hold onto me," Naruto commanded. I obeyed and held onto him as he scooped up my body and began walking.

"Where did those creeps go?"

"I took care of them."

"How?"

"What do you mean how?" Naruto questioned. "I beat them to a bloody pulp that's how!"

I sighed to myself. "I see. How did you know where I was? How did you find me?" I interrogated.

Naruto spoke without hesitation, "You see I noticed a little while ago because I had the sudden urge to use the bathroom."

"Umm that's a little too much info."

"When I went to go back to bed I was randomly looking around the room and I saw a piece of paper." A wave of guilt washed over my body. "I read it and came rushing to find you. It's a good thing I did. I could have been too late. ." Naruto trailed off. I noted the sadness in his voice.

"What do you care? You don't even like me, remember? Why help someone you don't even like?" I questioned. Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"I won't stand by when someone is in trouble! We may have gotten off on the wrong foot but there was something, something I saw in you." I sat and listened intently to what he was going to say. "I saw the pain and suffering in your eyes that I saw in myself. You're the same as me in a way, you know."

"I don't think I'm the same as you Naruto. I'm far different."

"Who's Gogyou?" Naruto questioned.

A cold chill ripped through my body as I heard that name roll off Naruto's tongue. "How do you know that name?"

"You talk in your sleep." He responded. I panicked. "I heard enough to know that you're struggling like me."

"Like you?" I began. "Naruto you don't know what this is like. I've got this monster trapped inside me who's on the brink of escaping and taking over my body, I'll no longer exist. How can you say you know what this is like?"

"Because I have a monster in me as well, only mine is true demon, not an Anigeka." Naruto's tone dropped from his normal cheery tone. "I was shunned by everyone in my village. No one wanted someone like me, someone who had a monster in them. But Iruka-sensi never gave up on me. He pushed me, believed in me and got me where I am today. Iruka-sensi is the person who saw me as a person and not just as some monster, just like Haku saw you as a person."

I never knew that Naruto had a past like that. I never knew. Rather I never bothered to get to know him. I didn't know what to think. Naruto continued walking. "This Iruka sounds like one heck of a guy." I noted.

"Iruka-sensi is the best! I am lucky have had him as my sensi and not anyone else!" And there Naruto went. He went on and on about how great his sensi was and how great his squad. As I listened to Naruto I knew there was one little difference between us. I didn't have as great of people as he did. The only person I had was Elfi, yet, that was all I needed. As long as it was someone, rather than having no one. "Ok we're here now! What do I do?"

I heard the water lightly splashing against some rocks so I assumed we were at a pond or lake. "Please throw me in the water."

"Throw you?" Naruto questioned, shocked.

"Don't worry I'll be alright. People usually just throw me around anyways."

"I've got a better idea!" Suddenly Naruto and I were flying through the air.

"What are you-" before I could finish my sentence, Naruto and I had hit the water. Immediately the water consumed me and began healing my injuries. Naruto still held onto me, watching in amazement at what he was witnessing. The water that consumed me soon mixed back with the pond and my vision came back to me. I saw Naruto staring at me. Feeling a bit uncomfortable I swam out of his arms and up to the surface, swallowing a gulp of air. Not long afterwards, Naruto surfaced as well. "Naruto, thank you, for everything." I said with a smile for once.

"Anything for the people I care about!" Naruto said, raising his hand out of the water to give me a thumbs up.

"You could actually care about me? After all we've been through?" I questioned.

"Hey the past is the past, let's focus on what the future's going to hold!"

The feeling in me at that moment was a feeling that I wished I could always feel. I was so happy that I began splashing Naruto.

"Hey quit it!" Naruto protested as he splashed back. I felt like I was a little kid in that moment but at least I knew one person who knew of what I felt. Maybe if I did let my friends help, they could help me defeat Gogyou. I was almost certain of it.

Suddenly I felt the water become colder, more darker than how it was just warm. I stopped splashing Naruto and I sat and listened. Naruto noted that I had stopped. "What's wrong Refi?"

From under water I felt something stirring. I jumped up out of the water and grabbed Naruto. I ran off the water and made it to dry land.

"What's going on?" Naruto questioned as I let go of him. A huge explosion erupted in the middle of the lake, at the almost exact same location Naruto and I were just moments ago. "What was that?"

"Trouble."

"We're back!" Huyzu exclaimed on a cliff to the right of us. My guess is that Naruto jumped off it.

"Sorry Huyzu I missed." Yatsumeko apologized, kneeling before him on his right side whereas Kiinwou was to his left kneeling before Huyzu as well..

"Heh, doesn't matter! I wouldn't have been satisfying if they died just from that! I want them to suffer!"

"You creeps again!"

I reached into my pack and grabbed my guns. "Those toys again," Kiinwou noted. "Those are useless."

"We'll see about that."

"We've got a little surprise for you two!" Huyzu yelled, jumping off the cliff and landing behind Naruto and I. Naruto turned to face him while I never took my eyes off of Kiinwou and Yatsumeko. Naruto and I were back to back, ready to fight. Suddenly, the 3 chunin's hands began moving simultaneously.

"Brace yourself Naruto!" I warned, firing off some rounds at Kiinwou and Yatsumeko. Kiinwou and Yatsumeko both disappeared into the shelter of the forest that sat before the cliff. '

_'Damn mother nature!'_

"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed. I looked in the direction Naruto screamed. Naruto was being dragged into the water.

"What the? Hang on!" I turned my body and took off to aid Naruto only to be kicked in the face, sending me back farther than I originally was. I regained my balance while flying through the air before I went head first into the side of the cliff. I rotated my body so that my feet hit the side of the cliff. My legs built up as much momentum as they could and I shot myself off the wall, like a bullet being fired from a gun. I began shooting off numerous rounds, hitting Kiinwou and Yatsumeko. As I flew past them, I punched them with all my might. They skipped on the water like a rock did when someone skipped it across a little pond. I did a flip and landed on my feet at the shore of the beach type scenery. I frantically scanned the lake, trying to locate Naruto. Nothing stirred. The night was still once more. A little too still for my comfort.

"Naruto!" I screamed across the lake. I received no response. I knew that if I were to blindly run out on the water I would end up running into a trap. These chunins were not to be taken lightly, I learned that the first time. I began raking my mind for possibilities for what I could do.

Suddenly the air became dense and a heavy fog began to emerge. I smirked to myself. Fighting in a fog was one of my specialties. I closed my eyes and listened intently to my surroundings.

I suddenly spun my body around in a circle, dodging a barrage of kunai. My eyes remained closed as I began dodging a kunai being swung at me repeatedly by Kiinwou.

"Hold still you damn brat!" Kiinwou screamed at me, swinging the kunai in his hand at me once more. I opened my eyes and grabbed his arm. Before I could give him any time to react I flung Kiinwou over my shoulder with all my might and threw him as hard as I could into the side of the cliff. His body turned into water on impact.

"Substitution again?" I questioned, angered.

"I'll admit girl, you've got some pretty good tricks!" I heard Huyzu's voice call out to me through the thick mist. "But you are no match for the three of us!"

I smirked to myself. "We'll just see about that!"

"Argh!"

"Naruto?" I yelled, trying to zero in on where I heard his voice. Suddenly, Yatsumeko's body flew past my head and crashed into the side of the cliff, creating a little hole in the side of the cliff. I watched as his body fell out of the hole and onto the ground.

"Refi!" I turned my head to see Naruto running up to me. "Are you alright?"

Naruto stopped right in front of me. I snapped out of my shocked phase. "Yeah I'm alright but what about you?"

"Heh! These wimps are nothing but push overs!" Something clicked in my head. I whipped out one of my guns and fired it right into Naruto's head. I watched as his head flinched back.

"How..?" Naruto questioned as I watched his body turn into smoke, revealing the Naruto imposter, Kiinwou. I watched his body fall to the ground as his face laid in a pool of his own blood.

"One down," I turned around only to find Yatsumeko had disappeared.

"You're going to pay for that!"

Before I knew what hit me my body was already flying high up in the air. A silent scream escaped my lips as my head felt as if it were on fire once more. In the blink of an eye Yatsumeko was high above my body. I watched in horror as he spun his leg around in an aerial. My body wouldn't move.

"Mist tsunami!" His foot connected with my head and immediately sent me flying back towards earth. With the force of the kick it felt as if the earth's gravity had enhanced ten times what it was as I collided with the earth, face first. I knew that if I stayed down I would be killed for sure. I struggled to get on my knees.

_'Come on vision!' _I yelled at myself, only able to make out the blurs of my own blood. _'I need to see!' _No matter how hard I tried my eyes wouldn't stay in focus. The breaths I took were loud and desperate for air. Blood began pooling up into my lungs but quickly moved to the back of my throat. I began coughing out as much blood as I could in order for me to keep getting the oxygen my body needed.

"End of the line girly."

I lifted my head slightly upwards to see Huyzu standing in front of me. I glared the best I could at him. He knelt down so we could see eye to eye. "You're a stubborn one!" Huyzu commented. "Anyone who gets hit by Yatsumeko's Mist tsunami are more than dead right now!"

"I could correct that," Yatsumeko offered, appearing next to Huyzu.

Huyzu held up his hand to Yatsumeko. "No, no. We have to make this girl suffer a nice, slow and agonizing death, for Kiinwou's sake!" I watched in horror as a wicked smile spread across his face.

**_'I think it's time I took over,'_** A loud voice boomed in the back of my mind.

"No, this is my fight!" I screamed, digging my nails into the dirt. Huyzu gave me a puzzled look, as if I had gone crazy or something.

_**'You're too weak to beat these guys! You don't have the bloodthirsty killer instinct that I have! If you had that, these punks would have been dead from the first moment you heard their voices!' **_Gogyou lectured. '**_You're weak! You're weakness draws me out! Now it's my turn to take control while you can watch how it's really done!'_**

"I said shut up! I don't need you're help!" I yelled. "So you just go BACK to wherever the hell it is you came from! YOU HEAR ME!" I screamed as I stood up with a sudden new form of energy coursing throughout my body.

Abruptly, Huyzu took this moment while I was distracted to attack. He lunged forward and stabbed me with his kunai. My eyes moved slowly downward to see that the kunai had stabbed deep into my body. Yatsumeko moved swiftly next to stab my back, where my heart was. I watched in horror as my blood oozed out of my body and dripped on the ground. Yatsumeko and Huyzu pushed their kunai into me as deeply as it would go. They twisted the kunais around in 3 complete circles before they jumped away from my body.

As they jumped away, my legs gave out from under me and I fell to the ground, face down in the dirt. As I hit the ground the kunai knife in my stomach became embedded deeper into my body. I laid in the pool of my own blood, dying, I only had but one regret. I couldn't save Naruto and for all I knew he was already dead.

Huyzu laughed menacingly. "Looks like it's the end of the line for you." I tried to gasp for air but only inhaled my own blood. In the blink of an eye, Huyzu was back by me, staring down at me with a triumph smirk across his face. "I'll put you out of your misery!" With that Huyzu began kicking my body as hard as he could. The pain soon faded as my body went into complete shock. It was taking whatever strength I had in me just to keep Gogyou from coming out once again. I had no power left to defend myself. Yatsumeko joined in with Huyzu and began kicking me repeatedly as well. As more blood drained out of my body I could feel my strength slowly flowing out of my body with the blood.

"Waugh!" I yelled as Huyzu stomped on my neck.

"Hurts don't it?' Huyzu taunted. My body couldn't take it any longer. Everything in my body began shutting down once more. All the pain seemed to fade away as I slipped into a state of unconsciousness "Just die already!" Huyzu lifted his foot once more, ready to strike my neck once more, splitting it into two halves.

"Phoenix claw jutsu!"

"What the-?" Huyzu gasped before he was hit by the overwhelming fire.

"Huyzu!" Yatsumeko exclaimed, chasing after Huyzu's now flaming body. Yatsumeko quickly moved Huyzu's body to the lake and extinguished the flames.

"Just what the hell was that?" Huyzu demanded to know as he looked frantically around.

"Looks like we got here just in time." Yatsumeko and Huyzu watched as 3 figures emerged from the crater they were both just in.

"Just who the hell are you?" Yatsumeko demanded to know.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sakura Haruno."

"And Kakashi Hatake. We are squad 7 of the leaf village." Kakashi explained.

"Kakashi? The copy ninja!" Huyzu questioned in disbelief.

"Looks like you're more popular than we thought you were sensi." Sakura commented.

Kakashi ignored Sakura's comment. "Now just what have you done with Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Naruto?" Huyzu and Yatsmeko questioned in unison as they gave each other puzzled looks.

"Oh! You mean that blond haired, loud-mouthed brat?" Yatsumeko asked, turning to face Kakashi. Kakashi gave them a light nod. Yatsumeko looked at Huyzu as they both laughed.

"Just what's so funny?" Sasuke demanded to know.

"That kid is history!" Huyzu exclaimed.

"Really now?" In the blink of an eye Kakashi was behind both Yatsumeko and Huyzu. "You're both are going to pay for what you've done." Before Yatsumeko or Huyzu could turn to face Kakashi their bodies were already airborne.

"Fire style, fire ball jutsu!" Sasuke inhaled deeply and as he exhaled, balls of fire larger than boulders flew straight at Yatsumeko. Yatsumeko rotated his body in the air and did a series of hand seals.

"Liquid bullets!" Yatsumeko inhaled deeply, and just like Sasuke, as he exhaled, instead of fire water bullets the size of boulders flew to meet Sasuke's fire balls. As the two jutsus clashed, steam began filling the air, making it hard for Sasuke to see just what was going on. Sasuke tried using his sharp eyes to see just what was happening through the steam.

Meanwhile, Kakashi jumped behind Huyzu's body once more and kicked it sky high. As Huyzu flew high up Kakashi jumped as high as he could. As Kakashi swung his body around for a round-house kick, Huyzu's body turned into a log. "What?" Kakashi gasped.

"Rain of destruction!" Kakashi whipped his head to where he heard Huyzu's voice. Kakashi gasped in horror as thousands of kunai came showering down towards him. He took out a kunai knife and began blocking as many of the kunai as he could.

Kakashi landed on the ground, only suffering minor cut wounds from the kunai. "Looks like I can't take these guys lightly." With that statement, Kakashi lifted his head up to reveal his sharigun.

"Finally getting serious, eh Kakashi?" Huyzu taunted, appearing in front Kakashi. Kakashi said nothing but slightly rose a kunai knife up. Suddenly an overwhelming pain came over Kakashi's arm causing him to drop the kunai knife and fall down to his knees. Shortly after his arm other areas of his body began hurting as well.

"Just what the hell is this?" Kakashi questioned, outraged by the sudden pain.

Huyzu's laugh echoed throughout the sky as he laughed at Kakashi's ignorance. "Those weren't just ordinary kunai knives each one of them had a deadly poison on the tips of them! Just one small cut from one of those kunai and you'd be paralyzed for at least a week!"

"Oh no!" Kakashi cried out as his body fell to the ground, face first. _'I can't move anything! I'm a sitting duck like this!'_ Kakashi told himself while struggling to move something in his body.

Huyzu walked casually over to Kakashi. "Don't waste your time or strength it's impossible to move anything from all the cuts you've got on your body," Huyzu explained. A devilish smile began to spread across Huyzu's face. "To think a leaf jonin, none other than Kakashi the copy ninja himself, could be taken down by a mere mist chunin. Now then, time to end this!"

"You're right! It is time to end this!"

Startled by this voice, Huyzu looked around frantically to see just where this voice was coming from. From out of the shadows, Yatsumeko's dead body was thrown right at Huyzu. Huyzu dodged it but look back, horrified and enraged at what he saw. "Show your self you coward!" Huyzu demanded.

From behind Huyzu, the mysterious person of whom he had demanded reveal themselves appeared. Huyzu turned around and stared as he watched this person step all over Yatsumeko's dead body.

"How dare you!" Huyzu began, turning to face this person. "Just who the hell do you think you are! Don't you have some respect for the dead!"

"I don't respect worthless trash like yourself or your dead friend." With that the person kicked Yatsumeko's body and sent it flying into Huyzu. Being taken by surprise by this, Huyzu wasn't able to dodge Yatsumeko's flying body. Once Yatsumeko's dead body hit Huyzu he went flying with Yatsumeko into the dark depths of the woods. After flying through 2 trees and smashing into the 3rd one to stop this momentum, Huyzu sent Yatsumeko's body on the ground and readied himself for any attack from any direction.

"You know people like you really piss me off," the person told Huyzu as they walked directly towards Huyzu. Fear began to override all of Huyzu's thoughts and actions as his eyes watched shockingly as this person came walking up to him with no guard up or not even a single weapon. Huyzu held his kunai firmly in his hand, so firmly that his hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Just who the hell are you?" Huyzu demanded to know.

The person stopped not short of 5 feet from Huyzu. "My name is Kasai. Element: Fire." Kasai stated with a smirk. She could see the terror in his eyes and hear how terrified he was by his voice.

"You work for the leaf village don't you?" Huyzu began. "You're with those other punks!"

"You're the one who put Refi in that state, didn't you?" Kasai asked in a venomous tone.

"Refi?" Huyzu questioned, not knowing what or who Kasai was talking about.

"That girl in the crater back there, you know the one you left dying in her own pool of blood and smashed around for some time?"

Huyzu gasped at the fierceness in Kasai's voice. "Oh you mean that weak little girl?" Huyzu laughed nervously. "So what if I did do that to her? What will you do about it?"

"I'll kill you, just like I killed your other little friend there." Kasai stated. Kasai's hand suddenly held two balls of fire that grew and grew until she flicked it back down to the ground, revealing her true weapons, duo fans.

Huyzu laughed at this. "Fans? What kind of weapons are those?" Huyzu began, gaining some confidence back in himself. "There's no way you'll be able to defeat me with those useless things!"

Kasai did nothing but said, "You know, you're little buddy over there did the exact same thing. He insulted my weapons and gloated about how great a shinobi he was and how I couldn't beat him, now look where that got him." Huyzu gulped. Kasai rose her fans up. "Never underestimate an opponent. But it looks like it's too late for you." With that Kasai began making hand seals.

"Wwaa…Wait a second!" Huyzu begged as he dropped his kunai.

"Fire style, danshinguhisakidoki no jutsu!" Kasai threw her fans towards Huyzu. As they spun faster and faster in the air fire began to surround them until a fire tornado engulfed both Huyzu and Kasai.

"Where are we?" Huyzu questioned.

"We're in the eye of my danshinguhisakidoki no jutsu but here's the catch, only one of us can make it out alive!"

"That's crazy! You could end up killing yourself!"

"We'll see who survives." Kasai said with a smirk. Both Kasai and Huyzu began taking massive damage from the flame tornado. Suddenly the flame tornado became wild and violent. A smile played across Kasai's lips as Huyzu's body began disintegrating, leaving behind nothing at all, not even the ashes of his existence. Finally, the fire died down to mere smoke that floated away on the dawn's breeze.

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	11. Stand Up

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing at all except the fan made characters I create and nothing else at all. All copy rights go back to the original creators of Naruto. That is all.

Update! I'll be posting all the chapters I have completed so this should be interesting I suppose. Please read and review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I can do to improve this story, Arigato!~

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**Stage 11: Stand Up**

"Elfi!" Sakura screamed running through the forest searching for Elfi. Sakura came upon the scene where the fire tornado had been. More than 5 miles of the forest had been burned and nothing but ashes and sot remained. Sakura scanned the area, searching for any sign of Elfi or the enemy. Sakura squinted her eyes at a person standing in the middle of the sot and ash. She wasn't able to tell who it was.

"Elfi!" Sakura yelled as she cupped her hands over her mouth to amplify her voice.

The person's body suddenly became engulfed in flames but the flames quickly died out, revealing the true victor, Elfi. Sakura raced out to Elfi just in time to catch her from falling to the ground.

Sakura began shaking Elfi. "Elfi? Elfi talk to me come on! Elfi!"

"Just give me five minutes…" Elfi trailed off.

Sakura became angry and flipped Elfi's body around so that she could slap her silly. "No five minutes get your ass up now! Wake up!"

Suddenly Sasuke appeared next to Sakura and grabbed her arm, stopping her from hitting Elfi anymore. "Sakura that's enough you might do serious damage to her like that."

"Ugh…," Elfi moaned. Sasuke and Sakura looked at her. "I think I just got whip lash…"

Sakura let out a light chuckle, glad to know that Elfi was ok. "So, what happened to Kasai?" Sasuke asked.

Elfi regained her balance and took a step back from Sakura and Sasuke. "Kasai is no longer needed so she went back," Elfi explained.

"Back?" Sasuke and Sakura questioned in unison.

"Yeah you know back to sleep!"

"Wait, what happened to those two other guys?" Sakura asked Elfi.

Elfi looked around. "Well by the looks of it Kasai incinerated them."

Sasuke and Sakura looked shocked. "Just how did she do that?" Sakura asked in a gasp.

Elfi shrugged. "Beats me but we were both pissed off at those jack asses! They got what they deserved for doing that to Tsu-sama!"

"Speaking of which, just where is she? And where's Naruto and Kakashi-sensi?" Sakura asked, hoping Elfi had an answer.

"Shit, Refi!" On that note Elfi began racing back to where I still laid, practically dead.

Sakura sighed. "What should we do?" Sakura asked turning to Sasuke.

"Go check on Kakashi, I'll go out looking for Naruto." Sasuke explained.

"No need!"

Sakura and Sasuke quickly turned around to see Naruto standing on a tree branch, not far off from where they were.

Naruto jumped out of the tree and walked up to Sasuke and Sakura. "Naruto…" Sakura trailed off.

"Sorry that I made you worry about me Sakura!" Naruto began. "Wait you were worried about me? That means you care about me!-"

"WHAT THE HELL!" With that Sakura began beating the snot out of Naruto, yelling at him about making them all worry about what happened to him.

"Sakura I'm sorry but I had to do something!" Naruto tried to explain, helpless against Sakura's rage. Sasuke just sighed to himself.

"Oh really? Just what was so damn important that you had to leave us here and making us worry about you!" Sakura demanded to know, throwing Naruto to the ground.

"I had to get this," Naruto told Sakura, holding out two pieces of metal.

Sasuke and Sakura gasped. "Isn't that-"

Elfi raced off to the crater, moving quickly to help me. The first thing she did was remove kunais that were wedged in my body. "She's ice cold…" On that note Elfi moved as fast as she could with me to the lake. She didn't even stop once she hit the water, she kept running until she couldn't touch the ground and was floating in the water. Elfi watched in amazement as the water worked its magic on my body. After a few minutes, the water that was being used to heal me mixed back in with the lake. My eyes shot open as I looked frantically around only to find that I couldn't see things that clearly. My body jerked upward as Elfi had me in another death grip hug.

"Oh Refi I'm so glad you're ok! I'm so sorry that I got to you so late!" Elfi jerked my body back so she could look me in the eyes. "Just what the hell were you thinking? If I hadn't found you when I did you would be dead now! You're supposed to be the smart one so start acting like it! You're not to ever do anything like this ever again! Do you understand me?"

I stared at Elfi for a long while, dumbfounded. It was one thing to see Elfi, after all I thought I had died but after hearing her lecture me like she just did…I couldn't help but laugh at her seriousness. She looked at me as if I had gone mad. "I'm sorry Elfi," I began as my laughter died down to just a smile. "I just didn't want to see anything bad happen to anyone, especially you because of me..I couldn't live with it-"

"Yeah, yeah I know I read the note you left us!" Elfi exclaimed as she cut me off. "What's going on anyways? What's gotten into you?"

I looked away from Elfi and sighed, knowing that she deserved an explanation to all this. "You remember back on the bridge, when Zabuza and Haku died, right?" I began. Elfi just nodded her head to what I was saying. "When I thought I had lost everything something happened to me. I'm still not exactly sure why but well…I don't know how to explain it so that you would understand.. Even I don't quite understand this." I admitted.

"Well just do your best!" Elfi encouraged me, wanting to hear what I had to say.

"Well, there's like another person living inside me. Only he's not a person, he's more of a demon and well he claims that he's my-"

"Anigeka, right?"

I stared at Elfi, shocked at this. "How do you know-"

"I know because I have an Anigeka as well." Elfi told me, cutting me off once again. I stared at her, shocked. "It was actually my Anigeka that killed off Yatsumeko and Huyzu. After I saw you like that I just went ballistic and I called Kasai to kill them." Elfi looked away from me, looking as if she were truly guilty of using her Anigeka.

"I'm sorry, I never knew, or even suspected you were dealing with something like I'm going through," I said in a monotonous pitch. I still couldn't grasp what I had just heard from Elfi, the shock was overwhelming.

Elfi sighed. "No this is more of my fault," Elfi began. "From the moment I looked into your eyes on the bridge I knew something terrible had gone wrong. I didn't want to believe it was an Anigeka that forced you into a state like that. Anigekas, that I've come to know aren't like that at all, I should have known it was an Anigeka and helped you sooner and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize this."

There was a pause of silence. I held my breath, taking all this in. Elfi didn't need to apologize to me about anything. After all it was mostly my fault for being so weak. I could feel the guilt coursing through me once more. Elfi spoke once more, "You're just now finding your Anigeka, that's the first step, the second step is becoming partners with umm…Who did you say your Anigeka was?"

"He calls himself Gogyou."

"Oh so you have a guy! My Anigeka, Kasai, is a girl! Maybe that's why yours is more aggressive and harder to get along with!"

"What does gender have to do with-"

"Elfi! Refi!"

Elfi and I looked to where our names were being called, after I had been cut off for the millionth time. "We found Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, waving to us.

"That's great!" Elfi exclaimed gleefully. I sighed in relief. "Refi," I turned to Elfi once more. "I'll explain Anigekas more later but for now let's go home, k?" Elfi said with a smile. I smiled back and nodded.

"Hey! Refi! Look what I've got!" Naruto called to me. I looked over at Naruto. My eyes grew wider than my head. In his hand he held the two metal pieces to my Mist head band, or what was left of it. I swam as quickly as I could to the shore with Elfi and snatched the two pieces of metal from Naruto's hands. I held them close and examined them to make sure no other damage had been done to them. "I'm sorry I only could get the metal pieces, I couldn't find the fabric anywhere and I looked hard. I'm also sorry about leaving you here with those creeps but after they dragged me away I ended up on the hill and when I was there I saw those metal pieces." Naruto explained. "I know they mean a lot to you so I knew I had to bring them back to you and-"

"Naruto thank you!" I yelled, cutting Naruto off as I glomped him. "Thank you so much for getting these pieces for me! I'm eternally grateful!"

Naruto laughed. "Ok, ok you're welcome! Get off me now!" Naruto yelled, pushing me off him. I sat on the ground and stared at the pieces and cried out tears of joy. Even though my head band had been destroyed it truly meant a lot to me that Naruto would go out of his way to get these back just for me. I swore to never let anything happen to these pieces of metal. I would always keep them with me.

"Ahem," Sasuke said as he cleared his throat. We all turned to him. "I hate to rain on the happiness now but Kakashi-sensi is…Well…." We all looked past Sasuke to see Kakashi on the ground, not moving much. We all got up and raced to his side. "Don't get all worked up, he's still alive but he's been paralyzed." Sasuke explained.

"Think you can fix that Refi?" Sakura questioned. I stared at Kakashi's body, taking note of the cuts.

"Did some kind of poison enter his body through these cuts?" I asked Sasuke.

"Well it looks like it." Sasuke replied apathetically.

"Geez Kakashi-sensi, how'd you end up like this?" Naruto questioned.

"He's paralyzed Naruto, he can't talk." Sakura explained.

Naruto just laughed at this. Elfi joined in. "Prayer jutsu!" The water from the lake sprang to life and soon engulfed Kakashi's body. We all watched closely to see what was happening. The cuts disappeared and the water dripped off of Kakashi's body. Kakashi regained consciousness.

"How do you feel sensi?" Sakura questioned.

Kakashi tried to talk but only random noises came from his mouth. "He's still paralyzed?" Naruto questioned, dumbfounded.

"But how? Tsu-sama why didn't your jutsu work?" Elfi asked, turning to me.

"Looks like my Prayer jutsu can only heal injuries and restore health, it cant cure everything…." I noted.

"Ok so what are we supposed to do now about this?" Sasuke questioned.

I sighed. "I have no clue."

"Wha?" Naruto, Sakura and Elfi questioned in disbelief.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Naruto demanded to know. "You're a medical ninja but you can't get rid of Kakashi-sensi's paralysis?"

"We'll be right back, k guys?" Elfi told Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura as she grabbed my wrists and pulled me away from squad 7.

"Hey wait, where are you going?" Sakura called after us, standing up.

"Don't worry we'll be right back!" Elfi yelled back to Sakura as we disappeared into the trees.

"Great now what are we supposed to do?" Naruto asked Sasuke and Sakura.

"We wait for them to come back, duh dope." Sasuke told Naruto as he walked over to the nearest tree and sat under it.

Naruto huffed in anger. "Don't worry sensi, they'll figure out some way to get rid of the paralysis." Sakura tried to reassure Kakashi. Kakashi looked at her but let out a sigh and looked away from Sakura, hoping she was right.

"Elfi!" I yelled for the billionth time. "Elfi Damnit!" On that note I ripped my wrist out of her hand and stopped dead in my tracks. Elfi stopped and faced me. "Where the hell are we going? Why aren't we trying to figure out how to help Kakashi with the others?"

"I brought you out here because you need to start talking with Gogyou and ask him for a new technique." Elfi explained.

I stared at Elfi with my jaw dropped nearly to the ground from shock. "Are you kidding me? I can't do that!" I began. "Gogyou is nothing but a ruthless monster! Why would I ask him for help!"

Elfi sighed. "See this is why you can't control Gogyou because you don't accept him as a part of who you are. Once you've accepted him it'll become so much easier!" Elfi explained. "When I first heard Kasai talk to me I was scared out of my mind and I thought I was going crazy but I still accepted her as a part of me! She's not going anywhere and she's going to be with me for the rest of my life! So just suck it up and learn to live with him because you're never going to get rid of him!"

_**'She's right about one thing you know.' **_I jumped at the sudden sound of Gogyou's voice. **_'I am a part of you and I'm never going to go away. You're stuck with me. But of course she's wrong about you controlling me I mean come on, how do you expect to control me when you can hardly control yourself?'_**

"He's talking to you isn't he?" Elfi questioned, watching my facial expressions carefully. I nodded slightly. "Anigeka's can do that. They can only be heard by their host and the host alone so you'll never have to worry about anyone hearing your conversations with your Anigeka. Also whatever knowledge you have your Anigeka will know as well. But for now this is what you have to do," Elfi began. "You have to sit down, close your eyes and get into a mediation type state. That way you and Gogyou can talk face to face about whatever it is you need to discuss."

"You expect me to actually talk to this guy?" I questioned confused.

Elfi nodded. "Now do what I said and don't stop until you've come up with a new technique to cure Kakashi's paralysis. That'll be your first step!"

I gave Elfi a nervous look. "But what if things don't go so smoothly…And Gogyou happens to take control of me like he did on the bridge?"

Elfi smiled. "I'll stop him just like I did before, remember?"

Gogyou laughed at Elfi's response as if it were some kind of joke. **_'There's no way I can lose to the likes of her. After all she is fire and I am-'_**

"Elfi," I began, cutting off Gogyou. "You have to remember Gogyou is the Anigeka of water but you and Kasai are both fire. That'll be a huge disadvantage!" I tried explaining to Elfi.

Elfi did nothing but smiled. "Remember back on the bridge when you and I fought each other? Even though I am fire and you are water I still didn't lose to you. Never underestimate an opponent Refi." Elfi warned.

"But you didn't win that battle either! It ended in a draw!" I defended. "I know that you aren't supposed to underestimate an opponent, I learned that well but I'm just saying. Gogyou's fighting tactics are nothing like mine."

"There's nothing to worry about Tsu-sama!" Elfi put her arms on my shoulders. "I trust in you and I trust in your strength!"

"Elfi…" I trailed off.

"Right! Let's get to work already!" With that Elfi pushed me down to the ground in a sitting position. "Now you two talk! I'll be right here!"

I sighed. I didn't want Elfi to put so much faith in me but I couldn't change her mind. I did as she instructed and went into a meditation type state. I soon found myself surrounded by total darkness once more, just like the first battle with Huyzu and his goons.

_**'You're friend seems a little too…oh what's the word I'm looking for?' **_Gogyou questioned himself, his body materializing before my eyes.

_'Confident?'_ I answered back in a questioning tone, know that she was.

**_'I say she's more of stupid and a fool.'_**

_'Watch what you say about her,' _I warned.

Gogyou laughed at me, his body fully materialized in front of me. I glared at him. **_'Oo did I strike a nerve?'-_**

_'Look I'm not here to play games with you. Based on what Elfi has told me, you should already know why I'm here.'_

**_'Indeed I do but I don't think I'm going to just hand over a new technique like that weakling Kasai.'_**

I bit my tongue on what I was going to say to him and rethought my words. _'Explain to me just why can't tell me this new technique.'_ I demanded to know.

**_'It's really simple actually. I just don't feel like giving out that kind of information to you.'_**

_'Look, Elfi said that the next step in this is for us to become partners-'_

**_'Yes I heard her say that but I doubt you're very excited about it,' _**Gogyou joked.

I sighed to myself, frustrated. _'I just want to get this over with so just give me the damn technique.'_

**_'How about we come up with a compromise?' _**Gogyou suggested with a sinster feel behind the words he spoke.

_'What do you mean by compromise exactly?' _I inquired. I didn't like how the sudden mood and even the feel of things had shifted to something darker.

_**'It's really quite simple actually. You have been on your own since those other two ninjas got themselves killed, correct?' **_Gogyou asked.

_'Those other two ninjas have names, it's Zabuza and Haku, firstly and secondly no you're wrong about being alone, I have Elfi, Naruto and the other leaf shinobis. They've been here since Zabuza and Haku died.'_

**_'Right, right but here's what I've noticed. You've become weaker since Haku and Zabuza died, both physically and mentally.' _**Before I could ask him what he meant, he continued with his speech. **_'Before the leaf shinobis came into the picture you were becoming the perfect killing machine. Zabuza and Haku were teaching you very well the ways of a true shinobi but now you're ten times more emotional than when you first got here and on top of that you have to rely on the leaf shinobis to bail you out of every tight jam you get into. You've nearly died 3 times in the past day or two since those two have been dead!'_**

Gogyou had a point even I couldn't deny. Even if I hated him, even if I hated the idea he could possibly right about anything he spoke of the truth. It had felt as if I had gotten weaker, as if I was slipping, losing my edge. I felt like I was a whole new person and this person I didn't even really like.

_'There is no denying what you spoke of is true,' _I began, Gogyou satisfied with my words but they burned worse than acid. _'Yes, I have become more emotional, even more physically weaker than I originally was before I met the leaf shinobis but this all happened after you appeared for the first time so the leaf shinobi aren't the only ones to blame in this.' _Gogyou didn't seem too thrilled with my words but I could still sense there was something more he had in mind, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I let out a long sigh, with frustration very evident._ 'Just get to your point, what is this compromise that you mentioned earlier?'_

**_'I will train you myself, teach you the techniques, the secrets of the water arts. I could make you so much stronger than you are right now and I could make you one of the strongest elements there are out there.'_**

_'I thought we've been over this, there's no way I'm gonna let you control me like some mindless pawn of yours-'_

**_'Just hear me out, ok?' _**I sighed and stared at him, listening to whatever else he had to say. **_'Yes there is a small catch, in order for me to teach you all the things I know about the water arts, you will accept me as a part of your existence, of who you are. Also, I will help you do away with all of these emotions, if you get your heart attached to anyone like your heart was attached to Haku.' _**My heart sank to my feet at the sound of that.

**_'Well I can tell by your facial expression that you don't want to go through that again, so let me teach you to harden your heart, let me teach you what it means to be a true shinobi! I will make you strong, I will never die and I will never leave you. In a way, I'm the only one who will always be here.'_**

Such irony in the words he just spoke were the only words I could think of as he finished his speech. I took everything into consideration. I didn't ever want to feel the way I had felt when Haku died. Maybe it would be best to distance myself and harden my heart. My mind was a violent whirlpool of confusion. But there was one thing I knew. I was running out of time and I had to help Kakashi-sensi. Once more I let a long sigh escape my lips as I shut my eyes. Gogyou was a demon, it was true and maybe he was just twisting his words and only saying what I wanted to hear. _'I've got a couple of conditions for you,'_ I began, my eyes still closed. _'You are not to take over this body without my consent, I don't want you to go off on a murder spree and make the village see me as a rouge ninja. I don't wish to become a monster in the eyes of those whom I have some feelings for. I will accept you as a part of me but it will take time. I need some time to see if you are something I want as a part of me. Also, you are not to lay a finger on my friends no matter what. Do what you will with this body and my mind but leave them out of it. If you give me the technique I need right now, I will begin to abide by this compromise you've proposed.' _

With that, I opened my eyes and looked into Gogyou's eyes. He held his hand out to me. **_'Then it looks like for now, we can call each other partners then.'_**

_'If you use the term loosely I suppose so,' _I reached my hand out to his and grasped it. It felt neither cold nor warm. I felt nothing. _'Partners.'_

Gogyou grinned a smile as gentle as an angel but the intention behind it was as wicked demon. It felt as if I was making a deal with the devil himself. A blue-green aurora began pouring out of Gogyou's hand. I watched carefully just what was happening. The blue-green aurora began flowing through the tips of my fingers and spreading throughout my body, like a river that empties to an ocean. It felt peaceful, gentle and this made me feel uneasy. Gogyou's eyes shifted from an ocean blue color to an teal color. He concentrated on his hand, making sure I got every ounce of information and the skill to perform this new technique. The aurora slowly faded away and Gogyou's hand dropped to his side.

_**'You now have the power you seek. You may call it whatever you wish but you should know what this technique can do and it's limits. Maybe this will help you from being so reckless.' **_The darkness began slowly fading and with it Gogyou followed with it. **_'We'll be meeting sooner than you think, Refi. Goodbye for now, partner.' _**He spoke to me as if we were long lost friends. That made my blood boil but I was grateful for having this new technique. I followed the light and soon I was back with reality.

I sighed and stood but, Elfi sitting up next to a tree in front of me, watching me carefully. "I take it things went smoothly then?"

I nodded. "Let's head back now, I'm sure the others are wondering where we are."

"Right." Elfi and I walked in silence. Part of me wanted to tell her everything that happened in that confrontation with Gogyou but part of me wondered if she already knew what had gone down. The last time I confronted Gogyou, Naruto could hear every word I said to Gogyou. I left it alone and focused on the things I had to do. I couldn't get the word 'partners' out of my head, it was just too much right now.

Elfi and I emerged from the forest and were back to where we originally were. "Finally you're back!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping out of the tree he had been laying in. Sasuke got up from the tree he sat under and Sakura stayed sitting next to Kakashi-sensi.

"So, you know how you're gonna fix up Kakashi?" Sasuke questioned.

I nodded and walked over to Kakashi's body. His eyes shifted to mine and I could see the worry and doubt in his eyes. "Sakura, please step back and let me work." Sakura nodded and obeyed. "Don't worry Kakashi, you'll be back to normal soon enough." There was a moment of pause. All eyes fell on me in anticipation. I took a breath and let my hands move. "Water style, Angel's Antidote jutsu!"

Suddenly, water vapor from the air began forming a light coat of water around Kakashi's body. Slowly, the water encasing Kakashi's body began slowly slipping through the small pores of Kakashi's skin. Soon enough the water coat was gone and inside Kakashi's body. The water inside Kakashi's body was like an extension of my own two hands. The water moved quickly to find the paralysis parasite. The water closed around the parasite as my own hand began closing into a fist. I pulled my hand upwards, casing the water rise through Kakashi's pores once more, with the parasite. The water flowed out of Kakashi's pores like mini water falls. Soon the Kakashi laid in the puddle of water with drown parasites.

I held my breath, hoping it worked. Kakashi slowly rose to his feet, moving around every muscle he could. "Refi, you did it!" Elfi and Naruto said simultaneously. Relief washed over me like waves rolling onto a beach. I felt so happy.

"Well Refi, you did well, thank you for your help," Kakashi said with a smile through his mask. I couldn't help but stop smiling. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and Sasuke felt relieved as well, even if he didn't show it.

Elfi held her hand out to mine. I stared at her. "Come on Refi, let's go to your new home, the leaf village!" I was shocked. I looked around at the other leaf shinobi. They all looked as if they had the same idea in mind as Elfi did. I was so happy I felt that I could cry. I reached out and grabbed Elfi's hand.

Abruptly, everything became stationary once more. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi had vanished and in Elfi's place stood Gogyou, staring down at me with that smile once more.

**"Remember the compromise we had Refi, don't forget about it."** I watched his face in horror. I tried to pull my hand away but his grasp was too tight. **"I'll be seeing you soon, partner."** Gogyou taunted. I squeezed my eyes shut and flinched in fear.

"Tsu-sama?"

My eyes snapped open and I looked back to see Elfi once more, my hand death gripping her hand. Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto stood by her as well, all having the same expressions on their faces. "What's wrong?" Elfi questioned.

I sighed and regained my composure. I yanked her arm, nearly making her fall to the ground. Naruto grabbed Elfi's other arm to help steady her as I pulled myself to my feet. I let go of her hand as I stood bathing in the sunlight that somehow became brighter than I remembered.

Kakashi chuckled and pulled out his book. "Well now, looks like our work here is completed."

"Alright! Mission accomplished!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping around.

"My first major mission, and I passed it!" Sakura whispered happily to herself. -inner Sakura- 'Cha! Now there's no way Sasuke doesn't see my skills and beauty! He'll be mine in no time!- Sakura giggled happily to herself.

"Humph, I've had enough of this place, let's go back home," Sasuke said aloud. Everyone silently agreed.

"Tsu-sama, from now on you're staying with me! Come on, let's get going!" Elfi said with new found enthusiasm.

Elfi grabbed my wrist and began dragging me wherever she wanted to go. "Elfi I don't think you're going the right way!" With that, everyone followed Elfi until somehow we ended back on the newly completely bridge. Inari and the rest of the townspeople were waiting to see us off and soon I was on my way. On my way to my new home and my new life, in the leaf village.

_**'If only you knew just what you're getting yourself into.'**_ Gogyou said to himself with a devilish smile playing across his lips. **_'You may be leading for now but you'll be dancing along to my song, soon enough.'_**

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	12. Confrontation

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing at all except the fan made characters I create and nothing else at all. All copy rights go back to the original creators of Naruto. That is all.

Update! I'll be posting all the chapters I have completed so this should be interesting I suppose. Please read and review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I can do to improve this story, Arigato!~

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**Stage 12: Confrontation**

It took us about 2 days to reach the leaf village. In those 2 days I couldn't help but feel so nervous. What if the leaf village people shunned me like they shunned Naruto when they found out what was inside of him? How would they react if they found about me? Had they known about Elfi and what she was as well? Were they more accepting? I wanted to ask these questions but I didn't want my troubles to become their troubles so I kept to myself mostly. After all part of Gogyou's and my compromise was becoming more distant so as far as I was concerned I was following through with my end of the bargain, even if it was just a little for now. Though it did tear me up inside to see how kind they all were to me.

As I stepped through the tall village gates of Konaha, I felt at home but at the same time I felt as if I was in some kind of warped reality.

"Kakashi-sensi, you're back!" the village guards greeted as Kakashi began walking past their station.

"Izumo, Kotetsu, how are things going?" Kakashi greeted back.

"Things have been a little slow but now that those exams are going to be starting up soon it's going to get pretty crazy," Izumo explained with a light chuckle.

"Wait, what exams?" Naruto questioned, inviting himself in on the conversation.

"What you don't know about the chunin exams?" Kotetsu questioned Naruto.

"Chunin exams?" Sakura asked, all eyes shifting from Kakashi to Kotetsu and Izumo.

"Oh, those exams are starting up so soon this year. Well, we'd better be on our way now, we have to report back to the hokage about our latest mission." Kakashi explained. "It was nice seeing you two again, take care." Kakashi said as he waved to Kotetsu and Izumo and continued walking on.

"Hey Izumo, do we know that girl?" Kotetsu whispered to Izumo as we all walked by them.

"Which one?"

"That one, the one with brown hair and blue eyes." Kotetsu pointed out.

Izumo studied my looks hard and thought a while about this. "I don't think I've ever seen that one and didn't Kakashi and his team leave with just 4?"

Kotetsu nodded in agreement. "But I know that the hokage sent Elfi to the mist for back up because I remember wishing her luck on her first mission like this. Boy was she enthusiastic."

"So where did this girl come from?"

Kotetsu sighed. "Who knows but if she's with them, Kakashi must have some kind of story why she's here now."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Izumo said looking at the sky. "The winds seem to have shifted a little though, kind of creepy huh?"

I followed the leaf shinobi quietly as they led me to the hokage's room. My heart was pounding. Everywhere I looked it felt like eyes were watching every step I took and whispers were passing between people about me. I looked down at my feet nervously.

"Don't worry Tsu-sama," Elfi began. I hadn't even noticed Elfi suddenly walking beside me. "The hokage is going to love you!"

I sighed nervously. "I hope so."

"Hey Kakashi-sensi, can we stop at Ichiraku's please, please, please?"

"Well, you, Elfi, Sasuke and Sakura can go do as you please but Refi and I need to pay a visit to the hokage's office to report back our results and to figure out if Refi's future is with the leaf village or not."

I got really nervous. "I'm coming with you Kakashi, Tsu-sama needs me!" Elfi exclaimed.

Kakashi waved his hand around in a non-caring way. "Do what you feel is right I guess."

"Well if I'm not needed anymore, I'm heading back home then Kakashi," Sasuke said. He turned and began walking the other way. Everyone stopped and watched Sasuke walk away.

"Wait Sasuke, I'll walk with you!" Sakura yelled to Sasuke as she ran up to him.

"Wait Sakura! Don't you wanna come to Ichiraku's with me?" Naruto asked, catching up to Sakura and Sasuke.

"Well that takes care of those 3. You guys ready for this?" Kakashi asked as he turned to Elfi and I.

"I'm sticking with Refi, no matter what!" Elfi began. "Bring on the hokage!"

Kakashi nodded. "How about you, Refi?"

I didn't look Kakashi in the eyes. I couldn't because I was so unsure about it. "Yeah, I guess I've got no real choice."

There was a moment of silence but I could tell Kakashi understood how nervous I was feeling. "Alright, let's get going then, I'd like to hurry up and get my work done so I can go home and finish up on somethings that I've put off."

We continued walking and I still felt the stares and heard the whispers being passed. It didn't really help me from feeling so nervous. I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Don't be so nervous Refi, you'll be fine, I promise the hokage will accept you into the leaf village!" Elfi whispered to me in a loud tone. I nodded and tried to swallow all my feelings.

We reached the hokage's headquarters. It was twice as large as the mist's mizukage's headquarters was and it was more out and open than the mist's mizukage's headquarters was as well. Nothing was said, we just pressed forward and sooner than I expected, we were in front of the hokage's office doors. Kakashi lightly knocked on the doors.

"Come in." I heard muffled through the large wooden doors. Kakashi pulled the doors open and we stood before the hokage and some of his jounin body guards. "Ah Kakashi, I'm glad to see you've returned in good health."

"Thank you hokage sir, I'm here to report in my latest mission." Kakashi explained.

"Go on, tell me about it." The hokage commanded.

As Kakashi told the hokage everything about the mist village I just stared at the hokage. I never got a chance to see the mizukage because I was always with Zabuza and Haku. The hokage wore robes that fit for a god. He seemed so old, so wise. I didn't understand how someone as old as he was could even move, let alone be the strongest shinobi in all of Konaha.

_'Could someone as old as he looked really be so strong?'_

"Hm, I see, just who is this young lady who's been staring at this whole time?" The hokage questioned as Kakashi finished explaining what happened with Zabuza, Haku, Gato and the townspeople of the mist village.

I snapped out of my daze and tore my gaze away from his. "This is my long lost friend old man! Her name's Tsu-sama!"

"Tsu-sama? You mean like Lady Tsunade of the sanin?" One of the jounin questioned.

"I was getting to that sir, her real name is Refi. She was so much help to us in the mist village. I would like to request that she become a shinobi of the leaf village."

"What? How could you ask this of our hokage?" Another jounin questioned. "There's no way the hokage can accept her into our village if she's already a shinobi of the mist village!"

"Actually, she's not a registered shinobi of the mist village but she is a very crafty shinobi."

"Refi was it?" The hokage questioned. Everyone went silent and the room became too tense. It was suffocating.

"Uh, yes sir." I answered, my eyes bouncing from him to random objects in the room.

"Look at me." The hokage commanded. My eyes bounced back to his and stayed locked with his eyes. "Are you a shinobi of the mist?"

"No sir, I am not."

"What does Kakashi mean that you're a crafty shinobi?"

"Well, I do have special abilities, like Elfi but mine are a bit different." I explained.

"Is this true Elfi?" The hokage asked, looking at Elfi.

"Of course it's true old man! Her water jutsu and incredible strength would strengthen Konaha's shinobi force for sure!"

"And what of the name you called her, Tsu-sama? What does that mean?"

"Oh that's quite simple! Her healing abilities are equal if not superior to that of Lady Tsunade's healing abilities, not to mention her monster strength!"

"I see, you really think this girl is something special then, Kakashi and Elfi?" The hokage challenged.

"OF COURSE!" Elfi exclaimed.

"Like I told you, she really helped us out in the mist village, without her who knows where we'd be."

I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. They were giving me so much credit, praising how good I was but when I originally met them I tried to kill them. I looked at the floor, hiding my face so I wouldn't give anything away.

"Refi, is what they speak of true?" The hokage questioned.

"I don't think I'm anything that special sir, but I do have healing abilities." I replied timidly. Elfi glared at me.

"Kakashi, how did you find this girl? Surely she didn't just appear out of thin air." The hokage inquired.

Kakashi swallowed nervously. He knew he couldn't lie to the hokage without the hokage catching him in a lie, but he had to think of something. "Um well you see sir…umm well we encountered Zabuza and Haku, like I told you and well…um."

This sparked the hokage's interest. "Go on Kakashi, spit it out."

Kakashi didn't know what to say. The room fell silent with Kakashi and the hokage staring at each other, Kakashi becoming more antsy by each passing second.

I couldn't take it. "Lord hokage, sir," I began as I fell to my knees, kneeling before him with my face facing the floor in the most respectable manner. "If you don't mind, I would be willing to tell you how they met me."

"No, I can tell him Refi you don't have to say anything!" Elfi pleaded. "Lord hokage she's just really nervous and doesn't know what to expect from you so it would be best if I told you!"

"Elfi be quiet, I'm perfectly stable to tell him the truth of what happened, telling him a lie would only make it so I'd never be accepted in any village and you know it."

"Refi…"

"Refi, please proceed with what you wished to tell me," the hokage commanded, his attention on me. Elfi and Kakashi tensed.

"Originally when they first met me, I worked with Zabuza and Haku. Well more I worked for Haku. In the first encounter with the leaf shinobi I was going to kill them all and help kill the bridge builder, that was our job and I wanted to see it through. It was my first job with Haku. Then Elfi showed up out of nowhere and well she began telling me about everything." I began explaining.

"When I originally found myself in the mist village I had no idea where I was, how I got there or even who I was but Elfi…. She told me everything there was to know about myself. She is my best friend because only a best friend would know everything about you and they're able to tell anyone everything about you."

"Once I learned who I truly was and who Elfi was I sided with the leaf shinobi. I admit I was allegedly kidnapped by Haku and began working with Haku and Zabuza only because I owed everything to Haku. He found me, gave me a life, gave me a reason for existence. Even though Elfi revealed to me my true identity it didn't change the fact that Haku sacrificed a lot for my existence. So I sided with Haku and Zabuza in the second attempt in assassinating the bridge builder."

"But Elfi showed up and her and I ended up fighting and the mission Zabuza gave me was to kill Elfi because she was the one who ruined the first assassination attempt. We fought and it ended in a draw even though she was fire and I was water. It was during our fight where I finally was able to remember a memory of my past with her and my other friends. I finally understood. There was no way I'd ever do anything to hurt Elfi ever again. Since then, I've been on the leaf village's side, all for Elfi's sake."

"You've gotta be crazy," one of the leaf jonins said, not even a second after I finished with my explanation. "It's one thing that you're from the mist, but to be allied with criminals like Zabuza and Haku? Then to attack our leaf shinobi!"

"Lord Hokage, you can't be possibly considering accepting someone like her into the village." The other jonin replied in a calmer tone.

I kept my head in the bowing stance and listened carefully to the words being spoke. "Kakashi," the hokage began. Everyone's eyes, excluding mine, were drawn to the Hokage. "It must have taken you a lot of nerve to ask me to allow this girl to become a leaf shinobi but somehow, your judgment has been passed and you see this girl as harmless to the village, despite what she's put you and your squad through. You really have this much faith and trust in this girl you haven't even known a month, and not to mention all the trouble she's put all of us through?"

The Hokage paused and awaited a response from Kakashi. Kakashi was at a loss for words. "Do you know for a fact that this girl isn't a rouge ninja? That she wouldn't betray the leaf village when she clearly has betrayed her own village by being with those rouge ninjas? Can you tell me with the utmost confidence that she won't repeat her actions from the mist?"

Before Kakashi could reply, Elfi marched up to the Hokage's desk and slammed her fist on it, creating a small crater where her hand impacted. "What the hell do you know, old man?" Elfi blurted out. "Do you know what she's been put through? How terrified she was? You shouldn't speak like this of my best friend while in my presence." Elfi paused and dipped her head, her body trembling. I couldn't tell what from, rage or sorrow. "You have no idea what her life has been like, how hard she's struggled….How much she's lost. So don't go acting like you know anything because you know nothing of her struggles! Got that?" Elfi finished in a fierce tone.

Everyone in the room was in complete shock and disbelief at how Elfi just spoke to the Hokage. I stiffened and froze in place. I still couldn't get over how Elfi always stood up for me and defended me every time someone tried to belittle my actions or existence. It was refreshing to have someone like that. I never really knew what that was like. Haku solely obeyed Zabuza and would never speak out against him. Even if he felt what Zabuza was doing was wrong, Haku would sit back and follow his every command.

The Hokage did nothing but laugh in Elfi's face. Now everyone, including myself, was severely confused. Elfi held her ground. "You are such an arrogant and insolent girl, but I must give you credit. It takes courage to speak to a Hokage the way you just spoke to me." Elfi stared him down. "But for you to speak to me like that really must mean this girl is something precious to you I suppose." The Hokage paused for a moment to rethink what he wished to do. "Refi, lift your head to me." The Hokage commanded. I obeyed without hesitation, my eyes locking with the Hokage's eyes.

"Oi, baka hang on 2 seconds!" A voice screamed from down the hall. I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes glued on the door from which the newly forming sounds came from. "You can't just-"

Suddenly, a loud _bang_ erupted from the twin doors of the Hokage's office. I ducked my head and squeezed my eye lids shut tight, my lungs inhaling the accumulating dust and debris of the blown up door. I coughed a little only to inhale twice as more dust. "Elfi! Where is she?" A male voice yelled.

_'What now?'_ I asked myself. _'This is just my luck…'_

"BAKA!" I opened my eyes slowly and glanced back over my shoulder only to see a cloud of dust hiding the culprits behind the blown up doors. I heard the sound of a fist connecting with someone's head. "What the hell are you thinking! Are you some lunatic or something?"

"Ouch, Ino that hurt!" The male voice complained. The dust in the room began to clear, enabling me to make out slight body lines.

"Hey, Bouchou? Is that you man?" Elfi called to the male voice I assumed.

_'Bouchou…?'_

The male, Bouchou, marched himself straight up to Elfi and stared her square in the eyes. "What's going on-"

Bouchou gripped Elfi's shoulders and began shaking her body rapidly, cutting her off. "What the hell Elfi? Why didn't you tell me you were going out on a mission? And you actually found Refi? Where is she? Is she ok? Elfi answer me!"

"Bouchou quit shaking me!" Elfi yelled, her voice slurring due to the shaking. Bouchou obeyed, releasing his grasp on her. Elfi gripped the edge of the Hokage's desk, regaining her balance. Her eyes bounced back and forth like a paddle hitting a ping-pong ball back and forth.

"Bouchou?" The Hokage exclaimed, slamming his fist on the desk. "What is the meaning of this outrageous behavior? It's unacceptable, especially when displayed before the Hokage," the Hokage scowled Bouchou.

Ino rushed to the Hokage's desk and clasped her hands in a pleading form. "Please, please forgive his actions Hokage-sama! I tried to stop him but he was going on a rampage!"

The Hokage sighed, massaging his temples with his index finger and thumb. "Just how much damage have you caused Bouchou?"

"As much as I had to to find Refi!" Bouchou yelled in the Hokage's face, slamming his fist on his desk. "Now where is she?"

Slowly I got to my feet and took a step back, stepping on a piece of the blown up door. The pressure of my body caused it to crack into two pieces with a _cracking _noise that was loud enough to catch everyone's attention. Bouchou spun around, his eyes red, burning with rage.

My body flinched back as I caught a glimpse of his eyes. _'Shit! Is he mad?'_

"Refi? Is that you?"

I pulled out my two hand guns, not wanting to take any chances. "Bouchou, please step away from the Hokage and exit this building at once. I don't know how you know my name but if it's me you're after then fine, I accept your challenge. However, leave everyone else out of your personal affairs. If you refuse I will not hold back." I warned, my nerves exploding like dynamite.

Bouchou tilted his head in confusion at my sudden actions. "Dude what's up with you? Are you mad or something?" Bouchou joked with a light laugh. "Quit screwing around."

I gripped my guns tighter. "Don't test me."

Elfi raced out in between Bouchou and I, facing me while holding out her hands to both of her sides, signaling us to stop. "Hold on, hold on guys!" Elfi began. "Bouchou, Refi lost her memory and she has no idea who the hell you are so you might wanna be careful with how you approach her. She's a bit deadly." Elfi warned Bouchou, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Lost her memory?" Bouchou exclaimed, shocked. "But how?"

Elfi directed her attention towards me. "Refi, Bouchou is your friend. Back where we're from you and him were pretty good friends. He's not your enemy so you can relax a little bit," Elfi told me with a reassuring smile. I eased up a little and put my guns back where they were.

"A friend you say?" I stared past Elfi's head at Bouchou, trying to remember anything about him. "Nothing's really ringing a bell when I look at him." I said, crossing my arms across my body.

"Well give it some time! It took you a while to remember who I was and I'm your best friend!" Elfi told me, tapping my shoulder. "I'm not sure how long it'll take you to remember someone like Bouchou though because you weren't as close to him as you are to me." Elfi said, making a mocking face towards Bouchou.

Bouchou walked up to me and stood before me. This time I tilted my head. "What?"

"You really don't remember me Refi?" Bouchou asked, studying my eyes. I shook my head no in disappointment. Bouchou sighed. "Well if what Elfi says is true, then you'll be sure to remember who I was soon enough, count on it!" Bouchou told me, giving me a thumbs up and flashing me a smile.

"K then…?" I said, a doubtful tone in my voice.

"Ahem…" Kakashi cleared his throat, breaking apart our little 'reunion.' You know guys we're still kinda in the middle of something pretty important… Why don't you guys reminisce later and focus on what needs to be done now?" Kakashi questioned, his only visible eye closing in a happy kind of way.

"Oh! Right, please forgive our actions Hokage-sama!" I pleaded, dropping to my knees again and bowing my head.

"Oh come on Refi, there's no need for that," Bouchou whispered to me in an apathetic tone.

"How dare you say that! Such insolence! Have you no respect for the Hokage?" One of the jounins yelled to Bouchou. Bouchou just glanced over in the Hokage's direction with no interest in his gaze. This irritated both the jounins.

"I'll oversee this little outburst just once I suppose, seeings how there's more important matters that needs to be addressed. However, your actions Bouchou, cannot go unpunished. Therefore you shall repair all damages to everything you've destroyed and you'll be assigned to help out with some other projects around the village as well."

"Tch…Whatever," Bouchou said with a shrug, not a care in the world.

I stole a glance at Bouchou, puzzled. _'Is this really the Bouchou who came rampaging in here just minutes ago?'_ I wondered. _'I've got it!…He's definitely bipolar or has some kind of mental illness.'_ I deduced, nodding my head.

"Refi," the Hokage called, tearing my from my thoughts.

My eyes jumped to the floor once more. "Yes, Lord Hokage."

"Now, about your current residence in this village….I've thought long and hard about this and well, the best choice of action for me to make is to deny you access to this village and send you back to the mist village where your belong. I'm sorry but my hands are tied here. I cannot accept someone like you. Now, I'll have escorts arranged for you to help you get back to the mist village. Once there, you're on your own." The Hokage explained to me. My heart skipped a couple beats as my nails dug into the wood of the floor.

_'What…Did he just…..' _My body began trembling. _'If I go back there… I'll be thrown in jail for sure… Or worse.'_

"Now hold on just a minute old man!" Elfi yelled, displeased at the answer the Hokage gave her. "How the hell can you do that to her? Lord Hokage I recommend you reconsider your decision." Elfi told the Hokage in a threatening tone.

"The Hokage has spoken!" The 2nd jounin chimed in before the Hokage could reply.

"I'm sorry old man, but there's no way you or anyone is going to take Refi away from us." Bouchou said, his voice on the verge of screaming. "I've finally found someone else and I won't lose her."

"I won't give Refi away! Not without a fight!" Elfi exclaimed, summoning her fans. Bouchou had the same idea as he summoned forth his weapons, a bunch of tiny explosive looking devices.

"Hold on a minute you two, don't act so hasty." Kakashi warned, tensing up a little bit. Kakashi turned to the Hokage. "Surely, Lord Hokage, you know what these two are capable of and trust me, Refi is no push over either. Starting a fight with these 3 would only result in massive destruction that no one could possibly imagine." Kakashi explained. "Maybe there's something, anything Refi can do to change your mind about your decision?"

"Kakashi," The Hokage sighed. "I understand where you're coming from but I can't risk it. My job is to protect the people of this village from any threat and I will see to it that the village remain a safe place. I can't take any chances, please try to understand. This is my job." The Hokage explained.

"Lord Hokage," My voice croaked. I could feel the Hokage's eyes watching me. My eyes stayed focused on the ground, my vision a bit blurred from fresh tears. "Please. Lord Hokage. I have nothing at all. No home. No job. No purpose. Nothing. But Elfi…She's given that all back to me! With her I have a home! My job is to protect her and to help her in anyway and ….My purpose…." My fingers clawed the ground once more, digging up more of the wood. My head shot up, facing directly at the Hokage. "My purpose is to serve Elfi and to stay by her side no matter where she goes, no matter what path she follows. My life has become her life!"

"Refi…" Elfi trailed off in slight shock.

I tried as hard as I could to blink my tears away. "If Elfi's devoted to the Leaf village then so am I. If Elfi serves as a Leaf shinobi to protect the people of this village and to serve you, Lord Hokage then so shall I! I will not betray her, not ever again…I don't want to ever hurt her…Like I have….I have to make amends…I have to….Please understand Lord Hokage it's my duty to-"

"I've heard enough, Refi." The Hokage called out to me, his voice harsh and cold. I held my breath, my eyes squeezed shut as my head hung low.

"Lord Hokage, please-" Bouchou began.

The Hokage held up a clammy hand, signaling Bouchou to be silent. I wept. I wept and wept because I was being forced to face my greatest fear. How else was I supposed to react to all my dreams and hopes being crushed after being promised over and over that I had nothing to worry about?

_**'You really are quite pitiful. This is what you get for putting faith and trust into such superficial words that can't be backed up. You can thank your precious heart for that.' **_Gogyou scowled, displeased with my 'irrational' behavior.

I had nothing left to say. "Refi…. I can't believe I'm saying this but after hearing you out just now and listening to how protective your friends are over you, it seems you can't be sent off just that easily. You should feel grateful to have such friends who are willing to go up against an entire village just for your sake." The way the Hokage had put it didn't make me feel so great. "I've decided to give you, a test I suppose you could call it, to test just how loyal you are. If you pass this test then maybe, just maybe I will reconsider my decision."

_'Was I too quick to jump to conclusions?'_

"However, if you fail I will see to it personally that you be returned from where you came from and you'll be locked up forever for the crimes you've committed. This isn't a threat, it's a promise." The Hokage told me in a low, almost growl of a tone. "Niraimai, summon forth Yurinaji. Tell him it's urgent."

"But Lord Hokage, are you absolutely sure about this? I mean-"

"Niraimai," the Hokage spoke in a low, rather annoyed tone. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"…Yes Lord Hokage," Niraimai said through grinding teeth. With a puff of smoke, Niraimai disappeared.

"Kakashi, Hiza, Ino, all of you are dismissed. I wish to only talk with these 3 alone." The Hokage commanded.

Kakashi gave the 3 of us a wave and with a puff of smoke he too disappeared. Hiza hesitated for a moment but understood the Hokage's actions. He too disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Bouchou, I'll pummel you later you baka!" Ino exclaimed, running out of the Hokage's office and back to where ever she had come from.

I lifted my head and sat back on my knees. My eyes stared at the Hokage in a daze. _'What just happened….And what's going to happen next..?'_

"Stand up Tsu-sama," Elfi told me in a bare whisper, tugging at my arm. I felt another hand grasp my opposite arm, helping Elfi. Eventually I was lifted to my feet. I wobbled a little bit, my legs feeling like jello but soon I balanced myself.

"I hope you 3 know what you just got yourselves into," the Hokage told us, a devilish smile playing across the old features of his face. I gulped.

"Lord Hokage," A voice came in front of us, hidden by a puff of smoke. "You requested my presence?" The smoke cleared, revealing a medium height, slender male in front of us, kneeling before the Hokage.

"Ah, there you are Yurinaji. There is something I would like you to do. This is an order from the Hokage himself. Are all of you listening? You don't wanna miss this, trust me," The Hokage said in a mischievous tone.

_'What am I getting into?_' I wondered.

"Starting today, Elfi Chikin, Bouchou Iguana and Refi….?"

"Shika, Lord Hokage." I filled in for him, realizing I never told him my full name.

"Refi Shika." The Hokage finished. "You 3 are now squad 14 of the Hidden Leaf village with Yurinaji as your sensi." We all stared at him, dumbfounded.

_'Is that really it…?'_

"As your first official assignment as a squad, your mission is to pass the chunin exams and become chunins. If you fail this mission, Bouchou and Elfi will remain genins for the rest of their shinobi lives and will never receive missions higher than a D-rank." The Hokage chuckled to himself. He's the only one who found that funny. "I don't think I need to say what will happen to you Refi, I already explained myself earlier. I hope you listened well." The Hokage told me in a stern tone. I nodded my head and gulped nervously.

"Do what ever is necessary to prepare for the chunin exams but do not kill off any 'competition.' If I find out there has been any actions of treason against the village there will be severe consequences. You can't even imagine what I'd do to you if I find out any information like that. Now go, all 3 of you. I wish to talk to Yurinaji about the details of this. You 4 will meet tomorrow morning at the break of dawn at the training grounds to work on your team work skills. Now, all of you are dismissed until then. Go before I change my mind," the Hokage command, a smile spreading across his face once more.

"Thanks old man! You won't regret this!" Elfi exclaimed, happily.

"Passing the chunin exams eh? Piece of cake." Bouchou said in a confident tone.

I bowed my head once more to the Hokage and whispered 'thank you' before Elfi grabbed the slack of my shirt and began dragging me out of the Hokage's office, Bouchou following close behind. I wasn't sure where Elfi was dragging me off to but I didn't mind. I've made it past the Hokage. Now the only thing standing in my way was the chunin exams.

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Welp, those are the chapters that I have written so far and finally got around to posting! XD

Info: Bouchou Iguana (which translated is Listening Iguana) is Pseudo element: Explosives. He's based off a friend of mine in real life who kind of acts like him, like Elfi (her name translated is Elfi Chicken and Refi's name translated is Refi Deer) is based off one of my very best friends.  
Niraimai and Hiza are just two random jounins I made up for this chapter. You'll learn more about Yurinaji, who's also a made up character by me, later if you choose to continue reading!~ Please review and share your thoughts with me, much love to you all!~


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